Once More, With Feeling
by forevertwilight1116
Summary: When fate gives them another chance, would they take the plunge?
1. Chapter 1

**December, 2016**

I felt silly, sitting alone in the middle of this crowded room as the sequins on my short dress shimmer under the strobe lights. I looked around for the umpteenth time, a sigh escaping me as the faces continue to be unfamiliar. I turned back to the bar in front of me and focused on the bottle of beer delivered by the bartender instead.

"Thanks," I called out although his back was already turned to me.

I gripped the bottle and brought it to my lips, the malty liquid passing quickly through my throat. I was almost able to finish the whole bottle in one big gulp but the blur of someone sliding to the stool beside mine caught my attention. Slowly, I placed the bottle back on the counter in front of me and inclined my head to the side. I moved my eye starting from this person's feet, quickly determining that it was a guy who sidled up next to me.

"Hey," he started, his voice barely audible under the loud music coming from the dancefloor.

"Hi," I said, turning fully in my seat to face him.

"So," he gulped, "Do you want to dance?"

I quickly averted my eyes to the packed dancefloor, the sweaty bodies all pressed up and grinding against each other. I felt a shiver run through me at the thought of being in the middle of that.

 _Ugh._

"Oh, uhm," I smiled nervously at him, "Thanks but I was just waiting for a friend."

"Are you sure? You look all lonely up here," he grinned, showing me his all white, perfect teeth. I held in a chuckle as the thought of him momentarily blinding me with his shiny teeth entered my mind.

I shook my head at him slowly, a small smile playing on my lips. "I'm fine, but thanks."

"Well, at least I tried," he chuckled, giving me another _blinding_ smile before backing away with his arms raised as if he was being arrested.

I watched from the corner of my eye as he turned to get the bartender's attention. He must have felt my eyes on him because he swiftly turned back around and caught my eyes, raising his beer bottle to my direction. I smiled at him, shrugging my shoulders before chugging down the rest of my beer, completely oblivious to the world around me. I finished the bottle in record speed, bringing it down on the counter with a bang. I was inclined to wipe my mouth with the back of my hand but I caught myself just in time. Instead, I _daintily_ wiped off the remnants of the beer with a handkerchief.

After putting back the handkerchief in my purse, my eyes automatically moved towards the door at the farthest left corner of the room. Irritation bloomed in my chest when I didn't see my friend's giddy face by the entrance.

 _Goddammit, Alice!_

I turned back to the bar to order another beer, my hand frantically waving for the bartender to notice me. My furrowed brows and upturned mouth seemed to have made the bartender take his damned time approaching my side of the counter, his gait slow and lazy as if to taunt me further.

"Another one, please," I said in my no-nonsense voice, my finger tapping on the empty bottle.

He simply nodded his head at my request before quickly snatching the bottle from me. I followed his movements as he reached below the counter and retrieved another bottle. He stood in front me, staring at my face before he slowly uncapped it. Without taking his eyes off of me, he reached out for a coaster before setting the freshly opened Stella Artois on the counter.

I refrained to huff out a frustrated sigh since I know that it would do me no good to irritate the bartender. Instead, I sent a silent thanks to his direction before tipping back the bottle. My eyes flew to the direction of the entrance doors again, but with less expectations this time. I _know_ that Alice isn't going to show up now.

"Isabella? Isabella Swan?" a voice called above the noise of the crowd.

I felt my heart racing and thumping in my chest at the same time, my breathing coming out in quick successions and my palms getting damp. My back was ramrod straight as I strained to hear if I heard _his_ voice correctly. I tried so hard to avoid looking in his direction without making sure it was who I think it is, but the effort was futile. My stool was already swerving to face him even before I could get a hold of myself. The moment my eyes landed on him, I felt my heart almost giving out with how hard it was beating.

"Professor Cullen?" my tone was breathless, as if I'd just ran a marathon up the hill and back.

"My God, it is you!" he exclaimed, his green eyes piercing me with his stare. I felt the warmth of his palm as it seeped through my shoulder, his long fingers gently gripping the soft flesh underneath.

I was still staring at him with wide eyes, my mouth probably gaping open as I was bombarded with his handsomeness. Of course, it was something to be expected from _Professor_ Edward Cullen, but I haven't seen him in years, and I was stupid enough to think that his attractiveness would wane over time. Obviously, it didn't. Not even a little bit.

I scrambled to stand from my stool, the sudden movement causing it to fall back against the counter. I winced as I heard the loud crash, the bartender tsking behind me from the counter. I was tempted to turn back to him and give my bitch brow, but I restrained myself since the fine form of Professor Cullen was still in front of me.

I was frazzled, completely caught off guard by his sudden reappearance in my life. My arms were already poised to wrap around his form, but thankfully, I caught myself. I was sure that the awkwardness that would ensue after that could threaten me to my early death. He didn't seem to notice my monumental hesitation so I held out my hand for him to shake instead. Professor Cullen eagerly took my proffered hand and shook it firmly, while I wallowed the loss of his warmth as he removed his hand from my shoulder. Regardless of my sweaty palm, Professor Cullen's grip didn't falter.

I was thankful for the darkness surrounding us, for surely, my blush would have given me away if the room was brightly lit. Still, I was surprised that Professor Cullen seemed to not have noticed the warmth of my skin. I'm pretty sure that my blush wasn't restricted to my face and neck because it felt like my whole body was on fire. This, all because of a simple touch from Professor Cullen.

With our firm handshake still intact, I could feel my palm starting to get clammy. I tried to shake off my hand from his hold in embarrassment, the blood rushing to my face excessively. Our hands lingered for one more moment before they fell away listlessly to our sides. My eyes moved to the bar I previously occupied, and as Professor Cullen followed my gaze, he grinned at me and started for the stools I was eyeing.

We settled down to the adjoining stools in front of the counter, silent but not uncomfortable. My long forgotten beer sat alone on the countertop, the condensation coming off of the humid air creating a small lake around the base of the bottle. I released a sigh as subtly as I can, mentally and emotionally preparing myself to face the onslaught that is Edward Cullen.

"So, how have you been, Professor?" I asked him, a timid smile playing on my lips. I tried so hard to quell the grin off of my face, but with one Professor Edward Cullen sitting in front of me, it was inevitable.

"I'm good, Isabella, really good," he beamed at me, showing off his crooked smile.

I think I felt myself blushing further as I noticed again how more _beautiful_ he's become. I nodded dumbly at him, my eyes straying from his face to focus on his hands. More specifically, his _bare_ ring finger. I did a happy dance in my head at that one.

"That's good to know," was my reserved answer. _I didn't want to say and ask for more and give out too much and reveal myself, especially since I haven't seen him in years._

"So," Professor Cullen started after a lull in the conversation, "What have you been up to? I believe you've already graduated?"

"Yes, I have, last June actually," I told him, feeling quite proud of myself.

"Wow, congratulations, Isabella," he grinned at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Bella," I said without thinking, the automatic response whenever someone would call me by my first name.

Professor Cullen just smiled at me before flagging down the bartender. When the latter was within a few feet away, he gestured to my warm beer and raised two fingers, smiling politely at the bartender before turning to face me again.

"What are you up to, Professor? We haven't heard from you in _years_ ," was my _subtle_ inquiry. The good Professor had suddenly left the faculty in the middle of junior year in college and no one, well, no one in the student body, knows the reason why he left. To say that I was heartbroken then would have been the understatement of the century.

"Well, after leaving U-Dub, I went back to Chicago," he said before taking a sip from his cold beer, "I taught in University of Chicago for a while before I moved back here."

I hummed in response, my mind too clouded to actually form a follow-up question.

The silence that blanketed us could have engulfed the whole room with its intensity, the buzz it brought along was creating a palpable energy in the space between us. I chugged down my beer to hide my discomfort, and from my periphery, I could see the professor watching me.

A shiver ran down my spine as I feel his eyes continue to wander, his gaze penetrating the exposed skin of my arms. I swiveled a little to my right to hide the blush covering my face and neck, my hair creating a thick curtain that hinders me from his view a little.

"You're teaching in U-Dub again?" I asked him, my gaze directed to the beer bottle I carefully settled back on the counter.

"Yes," he said, his voice almost drowned out by the loud music playing overhead.

"I loved attending your classes back then," I murmured under my breath, the blush on my face intensifying as soon as the words were out of my mouth.

"Really?" he asked, the surprise in his voice was unadulterated.

I nodded timidly for confirmation, my eyes firmly fixed on the counter to avoid his gaze.

 _God, I can't believe I let it slip out like that._

"I mean, you were my favorite professor ever, and you were really good with the subject matter," I explained, but as the words registered in my mind, I discovered that I only dug myself in a deeper hole.

" _Favorite professor?_ " Professor Cullen asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Well you were really good with the subject, and I really learned a lot," I started, "Actually, you helped me choose the career path I wanted for myself."

"What?" he asked, his eyes widening as he stared at me.

I backtracked my words in my mind and when I had it figured out, I tried to defend myself by saying that my chosen career path wasn't solely based from his inspiration, because it really wasn't. I chose to be a network engineer because I liked the challenges that come with the job. And I wasn't really good at programming. A _t all._

"Well, that was good to hear," he grinned, showcasing his perfect white teeth. I nodded mutely at him and excused myself to the restroom.

I waded through the tight crowd as I spotted the doors leading to the restrooms. I was feeling a little lightheaded, and the sweat forming at the back of my neck wasn't helping matters. Finally, I reached my destination and sent a silent thanks to the heavens when I found the space empty. I quickly took care of my business and got out to the hordes of people dancing. The number of people in this place seemed to have doubled in number while I was in the restroom.

The larger crowd made it harder for me to return to the bar, countless number of dancing bodies obstructing my path back to the professor. With still a few feet away from the bronze-haired man I have been harboring a crush for in the last two years, I stopped in my tracks and just watched him for a few moments. He was still perched in front of the bar, seemingly mindless of the blonde beside him who looked to be desperately trying to get his attention.

Professor Edward Cullen was a graduate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a PhD in Electrical Engineering. He's worked at the Chicago offices of Intel Corporation, _that_ American multinational technology company. From the limited knowledge that I knew about him, he was born and raised in Chicago before he moved to Cambridge for college. Quickly after graduation, he flew across the country to teach at University of Washington, where he handles the Computer Communication and Networks class for juniors and he was a damned great professor. He has the ability to communicate well with his students, something that some professors lack. Even though his classes were always full, somehow, he was able to know the names of _all_ of his students, a feat that I haven't had the pleasure of encountering before him. Lastly, Professor Edward Cullen was inevitably handsome. With his sharp jaw and green eyes, every female student's attention was solely focused on him whenever he's standing at the podium. _I know that my focus was on him._

We didn't know each other on a personal level, but I couldn't deny the fact that I was attracted to him, even before then. He was nice, friendly, and an all-around respectable man. All in all, Edward Cullen seemed like a great catch, the one I wouldn't mind snatching.

Suddenly, the crowd in front of me parted like the Red Sea, clearing my path back to Professor Cullen. And as if our lives were a romantic comedy, he slowly turned in his stool to face me and sent a huge grin in my direction. Self-consciously, I stumbled my way back to our spot, my woozy head thumping in time with the music.

"Hey, Professor," I said goofily, my smile stretching wide on my face.

"You can call me Edward," he smirked, "We're not in the classroom anymore, you know."

"Oh, I know," I giggled, almost falling to the empty stool beside him.

"Isabella, are you alright?" _Edward_ asked, concern etched on his face as he tried to reach out to me.

"You can call me Bella since we're not in the classroom anymore, you know," I teased him, his blurry face forming a grin in front of me.

I watched in rapt attention as he suddenly leaned in close to me, his scent washing over my senses as he inched closer. I heard my breath stutter in my throat as the distance between us lessened, our foreheads almost touching before he abruptly turned to place his lips near my ear.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asked in a low voice, the heat from his breath sweeping over my neck. I shivered in response, my mind momentarily rendered blank from his nearness.

"Bella?"

I blinked rapidly to regain my thought, my hands slightly trembling in my lap. Professor Cullen backed away from me slowly, taking away the heat directed my neck. I breathed out a sigh of relief as I gathered my wits. I straightened subtly in my seat, gathering as much dignity as I could before I faced him as if he didn't just render me speechless.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," I acquiesced, a small smile playing on my lips.

"Okay, let's go," he said, standing from his stool before offering me a hand.

I gently grasped his warm hand and pulled myself into a standing position, my head coming up short before his shoulders. I felt his fingers squeeze mine for a second before he released my hand altogether, the pressure sending a tingling sensation up my arm. Professor Cullen directed me through the dancefloor before he stopped briefly at a table with four people casually hanging out. The occupants of the table were obviously paired off, and they were all looking between the professor and I. I averted my gaze from the obvious appraisal, my blush creeping up on my face from self-consciousness. I darted my eyes around the room, avoiding the eyes of the four people who have yet to say anything.

"Heading out already, Edward?" I was startled at the deep voice from the table, my eyes immediately scoping out its source. The huge guy with bulging muscles was smiling widely at Professor Cullen, showcasing his dimples.

"Yeah, we're getting out of here," Professor Cullen shrugged, his arm casually brushing mine.

"Alright," the muscled guy chuckled, his eyes glinting with mirth. I heard Professor Cullen release a sigh beside me, prompting me to turn my questioning eyes to him.

"Okay," he dragged out, "Bye, guys."

A collective murmur of goodbyes echoed from the other three, but not before Professor Cullen gently grasped my arm and dragged me to the exit. I was barely able to keep up since it seems like the people were closing in on me, but the professor's grip didn't falter. He only released my arm from his hold once we were breathing the air outside the bar.

The air was refreshing, despite the obvious smell of smoke in it. Regardless, I breathed in as much as my body allows, willing the air to replenish the alcohol in my system. From the corner of my eye, I catch the professor watching my face, an unidentified expression playing on his face.

"So," I started, "Where to, Professor?"

"It's Edward, _Bella_ ," he smiled cheekily, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Okay, _Edward_ ," I rolled my eyes playfully, "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere," he said, grasping my hand in his, "Everywhere."

 ** _AN: Hi! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Let me know what you think!_**

 ** _Thank you for reading._**


	2. Chapter 2

**_September, 2014_**

I remember vividly the first time I ever met Edward Cullen.

I was running late for my first class of the fall semester, which turned out to be _his_ class. My stupid alarm clock didn't go off and in turn, I was in a hurry to rush off to my class without even taking a shower. To make matters worse, I had to run to the university since I also missed the bus by mere minutes. When I thought that my day couldn't get any worse, class has already started when I got to the room and I was already an hour late. I didn't want the professor to make a spectacle out of my tardiness, and that was what I think was bound to happen if I enter this class. Especially that the professor, this Professor Cullen, was new and nobody knew anything about him yet.

I contemplated skipping the class altogether, and I was just about to turn around and head to the library when the door opened and out poked a head. I was momentarily speechless from the shock of his bronze hair, the color so unusual that it took me a few seconds to organize my thoughts.

"Can I help you?" he asked, his brows furrowing. I frowned at him in confusion, a bit irritated by this boy who was dipping his head in my business.

"No," I quipped, my eyes moving to the empty hallway behind me.

"Okay, what are you doing?" he asked with a smile.

 _None of your business,_ I thought.

"Well, if you must know, I was just about to head to the library," I said, the irritation evident in my tone.

"Okay," he said, a smile forming at his lips. I nodded stiffly at him and turn on my heel, my bag swaying by my side.

"Wait!"

I whirled around to face him again, the frown on my face prominent. I quirked an eyebrow as I watched him try to stifle his smirk.

"Are you in this class?" he asked, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Why?" my eyebrows knitted together, my confusion replacing the annoyance on my features.

"Nothing," he grinned. My eyes moved all over his face, noticing for the first time that he's incredibly handsome with his green eyes, full eyebrows, and crooked grin.

"Okay," I trailed off, suddenly feeling uncertain.

"See you next Wednesday," he said, smiling a little more before turning to come back inside the room.

 _What?_

I was left gaping just outside the room, my jaw practically hitting the floor. I can't decide if I'm too bewildered or just plain amused by that guy's impertinence. My mind was still up in the clouds by the time I made it to the library, quite thankful that there wasn't an armful of students yet. I guess it's still too early in the semester for the other students to swarm to the library in pursuit of finishing papers that are due for the term.

I spent most of my day in the library, reading bits and pieces of my favorite books since I only had three classes for the day. I was able to take my mind off of the strange encounter earlier, although it still lingered in the back of my mind.

The next day fared a little better than Monday. I was able to attend my first class of the day, and I even got to the university with twenty minutes to spare. The promising start of my day turned out be a good premonition that the rest of it would be good since I found out that all of my classes were with favorable professors, and even with some friends to boot. By the time that I made it back to the dormitory, I was exhausted beyond belief and was already yearning for my bed. I quickly ran through my nightly routine and by 10 p.m. I was already safely tucked in bed. Sleep came to me easily that night with my dreams filled with familiar green eyes and a mop of crazy bronze hair.

Come morning, I was already awake thirty minutes before my scheduled alarm, my dreams of the familiar green eyes and bronze hair keeping even my dream counterpart restless. I rolled and turned in my bed all morning, my lack of sleep apparent in my agitation.

Five minutes before the alarm clock goes off, I gathered my belongings and headed for the bathroom. The warm water that used to soothe my aching muscles and tense mind has been proven to a futile effort with this regard. I was undoubtedly edgy, for no apparent reason it seems. By the time I made it back to my room, my thoughts were not less clouded nor were they straightened out. I found myself aimlessly wandering within the four corners of my room before I had to leave for class, my thoughts unfathomable as to why that meeting with the boy with green eyes and bronze hair seemed to have thrown me off balance.

I wasn't even close to a passable answer when I found myself standing in front of the affronted classroom. My commute to the university was a blur, my thoughts scrambled all over the place. Honestly, I have conflicting feelings about attending this class, the notion that I'd see the man who's invaded my thoughts being a great factor that favors ditching the class altogether. Still, after much consideration, I stood straighter and held my head high as I entered the empty room. I looked around for a bit, having never been inside this room before. In hindsight, the room was a bit smaller compared to those from yesterday. Still, there were rows and rows of desks clustered together around the podium. I took a seat on the farthest left side of the second row, situating myself as I pulled out my pens and notebook in preparation for the class.

Ten minutes before the class starts, the other students were starting to enter the room. Most of them were in groups of threes and more, occupying the front seats. I waited anxiously for the boy with the green eyes and crazy hair to appear but it seemed that he would skip the class for the day. Unknowingly, I breathed out a sigh of relief. The mystery of as to why I feel this way about seeing him was exhausting, especially when there wasn't any real foundation for my concern. As the other students continue to fill the classroom, the seat beside mine remained unoccupied. I find comfort and a little bit of unease in it at the same time.

Silence descended over the room when the door opened again. I looked around and saw that everyone has settled into his or her seat, the only available one was the one beside mine. I moved my eyes back to the door and watched as the boy with the crooked smiles and green eyes entered the room. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I watched scan the crowd with his eyes. A wide grin bloomed on his face as his eyes found mine, the smile he sent my way caused my heartbeat to falter. I waited for him to take the seat next to me but instead, he moved towards the podium reserved for the professor.

My brows furrowed further as he placed his bag behind the podium, his movements at ease. I scanned the faces of my fellow students, trying to see their reactions regarding what was happening in front of us. No one reacted the same that I have, like this was something normal. I inched forward in my seat, trying to tap the shoulder of the girl sitting in front me.

"Hey," I whispered, "What is he doing?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, turning her head back to face the podium.

"Well, he shouldn't be there," I said, "The professor would surely reprimand him once he arrives."

" _That's_ Professor Cullen," the girl murmured, looking at me sideways.

"What?!" I choked, my eyes widening in shock. "No, it can't be."

 _He can't be the professor, can he?_

"Good morning class," a smooth voice said.

I refused to raise my head, my eyes staring a hole into the girl's back instead.

"For those of you who just came in today, I'm Edward Cullen," he continued, "The instructor for this class."

 _Holy…._

I squeezed my eyes tightly, feeling the blood drain from my face for the first time in a very long time. Stupid, _stupid_ Bella. I started to take deep breaths, trying to bring back some oxygen to my body. I was already feeling lightheaded, my palms clammy and I could feel my body breaking out in a cold sweat. To say that I wasn't expecting this to happen would be the understatement of the decade. I can't believe that he's the _professor_ , I mean, he looks so young that he could easily pass as a student. And to make matters worse, I have been utterly ridiculous and stupid the other day. _Not knowing that I was speaking to the professor, God, Bella._

I was mortified, truly, utterly mortified. So much so that for the rest of the class, I didn't dare raise my head and meet his eyes. I spent the rest of the period alternating my gaze between the back of the chair in front of me and on my desk. I didn't even have the courage to open my notebook and take down notes. By the time we were halfway through the period, I was already seriously contemplating to drop this class altogether, my shame just too much for me to handle. Or maybe I could ask to transfer to another class, one a certain professor doesn't handle. With the situation resolved, I lifted my head to steal a quick glance at _Professor Cullen_ but I was surprised to find his eyes staring directly into mine. Blood expectedly rushed to my face, coloring my previously pallid face. He sent a smile my way, and it wasn't smug nor irritated; it was a small smile that calmed my frazzled nerves.

The rest of the period passed by in a blur and although I had been placated for the past hour, I was still not able to concentrate on a word being said during the lecture. I was still too caught up in my thoughts that I was startled when the bell rang. The other students around me were quick to pick up their bags and leave the room while I remained firmly in my seat. When the door was no longer crowded, I reached down to grab by discarded bag and began shoving my notebook inside. I wasn't paying attention to anything around me that I almost jumped from my seat when a throat clearing resonated around my personal space.

"Miss Swan?"

I slowly raised my head to meet Professor Cullen's eyes head-on. The green of his eyes was a shock against the pallor of his face. They looked like bejeweled gems with some unknown emotion swirling in fathomless jade eyes.

"Yes?" I asked, a little tremble evident in my voice.

"Do you have a minute?"

"Uh, yes," I stammered, "Sure. Wait, I'll just," I said, gesturing to my pens scattered on the desk.

"Okay," Professor Cullen nodded before turning back on his heel and moving towards the podium.

I didn't immediately attend to my pens, instead, I watched as Professor Cullen graciously walked to the podium and I was embarrassed to admit that I unabashedly swooned when he bent down to grab his bag from the floor. With the color high on my cheeks, I quickly grabbed for my pens and unceremoniously pushed them inside the bag. I waited for Professor Cullen to be upright again before I hitched my bag up to my shoulders and timidly walked over to him. I was practicing my apology over and over in my head as I waited for him to turn around, but the moment that he did, I think I died a little. The smile on his face was, for the lack of a better word, _heavenly_. I was caught off guard by his smile that I momentarily forgot what I was about to say.

I just stood there, staring at him like an idiot while he blushed his embarrassment at my blatant ogling. Maybe he cleared his throat a few times, or maybe he waved his hands in front of my face, still, it was not enough to snap me out of my daze. It was the loud ringing of my name that finally did.

"Miss Swan?" he called, his perfect face melting into a concerned frown, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I whispered, shaking my head slightly to clear my thoughts.

"So," he trailed off, "Do you have any questions regarding-"

"How come you're already a professor?" I blurted out, my eyes widening at my bold question.

"What?" he chuckled, his shoulders shaking from his amusement.

"I'm sorry," I looked down, "I'm sorry for interrupting you, and I'm sorry for the other day too."

"Hey, it's fine," he said, "It was entertaining on both ends." The smirk that followed warmed my gut, regardless of the teasing that came with it.

"So," I started, "Really, how old are you? I mean, you look so young…"

"Well, I'm already twenty-nine, so…"

"You don't look twenty-nine," I murmured, looking down at my feet to hide my mortification.

"Oh, really?" he teased.

"Yes, really," I rolled my eyes although I was still sporting a huge smile.

"Anyway," he cleared his throat, "I just wanted to make sure that you're fine because I saw you earlier and you looked a little upset so I just wanted to make sure…"

"Oh," I mumbled, "Oh! I'm fine, maybe just a little embarrassed," I chuckled.

"Well, there's really nothing to be embarrassed about," Professor Cullen said, his smile empathic.

"Still," I insisted, "I'm sorry for being sassy with you, Professor."

"It's fine," he said, "I liked it," he chuckled before squeezing my shoulder for a moment of levity.

I blushed under his gaze, my shoulder tingling even though there was no skin contact between us. I cleared my throat a few times, trying to abate the flush on my cheeks.

"So," Professor Cullen said as he clasped his hands, "I'll see you on Friday."

"Yes," I murmured, smiling shyly at him.

He nodded once before he moved behind the podium and started to gather the papers scattered there. I turned my back to him hesitantly, feeling a little shaky on my legs. There was a feeling niggling at the pit of my stomach, almost as if it was waiting impatiently for a chance to bloom. I tried to hold myself together as much as possible, lest I unravel in front of Professor Cullen. I was almost to the door when stopped in my tracks, my grip tightening on the straps of my bag.

"Bye," I called over my shoulder.

"Goodbye, Miss Swan,"

I nodded at Professor Cullen before I crossed over the threshold, my neck straining from the effort it took me to not look back one more time. My steps quickened as I got farther away from the room, away from the enthralling Professor Cullen. I couldn't comprehend this feeling of anxiousness and elation in the professor's presence, as if I wasn't in control of myself. Shaking my head, I headed to the direction of my next class. I'll think about this in my own time.

The rest of the day dragged and I had the trouble of getting Professor Cullen out of my head. The day progressed into a nightmare when I learned that I have Professor Aro Volturi in one of my classes. A known tyrant among students, he was tenacious and strict without regard to any excuses. It wasn't as if his class wasn't hard enough, his attitude also had to add to the pressure of his subject matter. But it doesn't matter anyway, since I was already determined to work harder this semester. By night time, I found myself buried under pages of workloads. My head was already swimming from the information that I had tried to cram in my head. I stretched my neck a couple times, the sore muscles protesting from the movement.

I decided to take a break and rested my head on the desk, my eyes automatically closing. Swirls of green danced behind my eyelids, and other times, a mix of bronze joins in. I hummed at the images and relaxed my torso against the table, my arms going slack under my head. My mind suddenly conjured up an image of Professor Cullen, the smile residing on his face reminiscent of the one he sported earlier in the day. I smiled in spite of myself, giving my imagination the authority to run wild. The images in my head abruptly changed pace, this time, I find myself face to face with Professor Cullen, our faces merely inches apart, with his hands on my waist. My dream counterpart was looking at him from under her lashes. Slowly, Professor Cullen leaned towards me until only a hairsbreadth separated us.

"Edward," by now, I'm not even sure if I actually murmured _his_ name or if it was all still in my head.

 _Edward's_ face was coming in closer and closer towards me, but before his lips could make contact, I bolted up from my nap. I was feeling a little dizzy from the sudden movement and my head was swirling with all the thoughts that came to mind at that moment, each one vying for the spotlight. Although my eyes were still a little blurry from the reprieve of my rest and I couldn't focus on anything else, one thing still became apparent. The rush of blood to my cheeks was expected, and the irrational change in my heartbeat seemingly warranted. I guess now I know why I feel bashful in Professor Cullen's presence.

 _I may just have developed an insane attraction to my crazy hot professor._

 ** _AN: The response the first chapter received was truly unexpected! Thank you all so much!_**

 ** _Let me know what you think with this one :)_**


	3. Chapter 3

**_December 2016_**

It felt exhilarating to feel the cold breeze in the air as we walked along the empty streets, my hand still encased in _Edward's_ large one. We didn't have a plan when we left the bar, neither of us thinking that whatever this thing between us could go any farther than a chat. I felt a shiver run through me at the possibility that maybe this could go on beyond anything I'd ever dreamed of, anything I'd ever hoped for. Our potential wouldn't be considered taboo now, not when we're already outside the spectrum of university rules.

"Cold?" _Edward_ asked, his head leaning towards mine.

"No," I told him despite the slight tremble in my voice.

Nevertheless, Edward stopped our tracks and let go of my hand before he shrugged off his coat. He gently placed it on my shoulders before capturing my cold hand in his again. A smile tugged at my lips at his sweet gesture.

We continued to walk along the streets, the space between us silent but comfortable. The warmth emanating from his palm was running up my arm, leaving small bouts of buzzing sensations in its wake. The air around us was starting to get colder and colder, the empty streets of Seattle providing no warmth. We were still walking aimlessly in the deserted part of the city, the flickering lights strewn about the shop windows giving the otherwise dark night a colorful glow.

We were already reaching the end of the street when a 24-hour sign caught my attention. The sign belonged to a quaint little diner tucked in between two large buildings, the windows wide enough to see the store's interior. From where we were standing, I could see that there were no customers inside, only a middle-aged lady with a red apron around her waist was standing by the counter. I tugged on Edward's hand before inclining my head to the diner's direction, my eyes roving all over his face before I settled on his eyes.

"Coffee?" I asked, looking up at him briefly before averting my gaze. "Unless you want to go home…"

"Coffee sounds divine," he smiled, squeezing my hand softly in his before directing me towards the diner.

I nodded excitedly and let him lead me into the diner. A bell rang above our heads as we opened the door, alerting the waitress of our arrival. She quickly led us to a booth in the corner, away from the counter and all the other tables. As soon as we were seated, the waitress offered us coffee and the menu. We graciously accepted both and began to peruse the menu.

After a while, I have already decided on what to order but it seems like Edward still hasn't. I tried to steal glances at him from the top of the menu I was holding in front of me, watching as his eyes moved across the words printed on the cardboard he held in his hands. His brows were furrowed in concentration, and it would have been funny if he weren't so handsome. The blush that emerged on my face was thankfully covered by the menu in front of me. I watched Edward for a few more seconds before I slowly placed the menu on the table, my hand smoothing over the surface.

I cleared my throat softly, and this seemed to get Edward's attention when he snapped up his eyes to mine across the table. The shadows casted by his long lashes distracted me for a second, but I willed myself to look into his eyes. However, the moment that our eyes met, the rush of blood coming to my cheeks was wholly unexpected. Whatever courage I had earlier, back when I tightly held onto his hand, was gone. I lowered my gaze and focused on the scruff of his chin instead, willing myself to gather enough bravado to actually have a conversation with Edward.

The sudden shyness was unexpected, I mean, hadn't I just held his hand the whole way from the bar? I certainly wasn't bashful as we wandered the barely illuminated streets of Seattle, our hands entwined tightly between us. But now, with the bright fluorescent lights and wide expanse of the table between us, I couldn't help the blush that was spreading across my cheeks. It didn't help that he _is_ still devastatingly gorgeous, maybe even more so than before. Still, there was nothing to be embarrassed about, maybe my undeniable attraction to him, but it wasn't something that should have brought forth this kind of reaction from me.

The bashfulness that came to me made the space between us awkward, terse. From my peripheral, I could see that Edward was looking directly at my face, his brows furrowed in confusion. I couldn't blame him for being befuddled with my change of pace.

"Hey," he said softly, "Are you okay, Bella?"

Nodding, I gulped down the dryness in my throat before I let out a breath and whispered, "Yeah,"

Edward continued to look at me in concern, the emotion etched deeply on his face. I tried to give him a small smile, but I think it came out more of a grimace because the frown on his face deepened.

I cleared my throat a few times, willing the awkwardness to go away. Edward looked at me expectedly, his eyes turning from his confusion to something else.

"So, what are you getting?" I asked, my eyes trained on the words printed on the cardboard. "I think I'll get biscuits and a cup of coffee."

I slowly raised my eyes to look at his face, not at all surprised to see that he's still watching me.

"What?"

He shook his head at me, his eyes never leaving my face. A small smirk was already starting to blossom on his lips, his eyes sparkling with mirth. The doubt from his face gave way to something entirely different, as if he knew a secret I wasn't privy to. He suddenly took his eyes off of me for a moment to get the waitress' attention, the green orbs going back to my face a moment later.

The waitress materialized beside us in an instant, oblivious to the slight tension brewing in the air between us. I quietly relied my order to her, my eyes looking anywhere but at Edward.

"I'll have the same," Edward said when the elderly waitress turned to him. I jumped when Edward closed the menu with a snap, the sound resounding in the terse air between us. I was inexplicably jumpy, and embarrassed, and I'm pretty sure that Edward could _totally_ tell given the way's he's been eyeing me for the past few seconds.

"Bella," he cajoled, his hand reaching out towards mine. The warmth that engulfed my hand was welcome, as opposed to the blush that was surely now racing along my neck.

"You know, you've been acting pretty weird since we got here," he continued, his eyes intensely boring into mine. "I got to say, you're sending some mixed signals here."

"Professor… _Edward_ ," I murmured, my voice hoarse from all the silence I've given him, "I'm sorry, it's just…"

Edward quirked his eyebrow at me, urging me to continue. But I can't, because what the hell am I going to say to him? That I suddenly clammed up, all the bravado I had was sucked out of me the moment we entered this diner? Do I tell him that whenever he looks my way, I revert back to the naïve and fumbling girl who had the biggest crush on him in college? Or do I tell him that no relationship I've had since I met him ever worked out because I was just not attracted to those guys the same way that _I am_ undoubtedly enthralled by him?

 _No,_ because saying anything might lead to Edward running away from me, screaming for the hills. And I can't have that because I just got him back. _Hell would freeze over before I let him slip through my fingers again without a fight._

"You were one of my favorite students, you know," he said, his thumb softly rubbing over my knuckles. The sensation was shooting sparks up and down my spine, my face probably rivaling a ripe tomato.

He suddenly retracted his hand and I want to cry and demand to him to bring it back and caress mine all night long. Instead, I held my tongue and just watched as the aforementioned hand ran along his glorious hair. My fingers itched to do the same, but I reigned it in by tightly curling my hands into fists.

"You were one of the few who seemed to be truly interested in the subject matter," Edward continued, "I could see it in your face back then, you were really eager to learn."

I nodded along, keeping quiet. It was true that I was interested in the subject matter, but I couldn't deny the fact that a big part of it was because him. The way that he talked about the subject, the passion and intensity thinly veiled in his words, was what got my attention; hook, line, and sinker. The fact that he gorgeous beyond belief also helped matters, but honestly, it would not have mattered if he was average-looking. Not to me, anyway.

"Well, I really liked the way you handled the class, so to speak," I said, looking at his face and seeing the smile that was starting to form. "I mean, I had never seen a professor catch the students' attention the way that you did. It was awesome."

"I think it helped that I was less than decade older than most of you," he said off-handedly.

"What, really?" I teased, the mirth in my voice could be detected even miles from where we were sitting.

"Yes, really," Edward said chuckling. "How old do you think I am?"

"Well, I have always wondered about _that_ ," I continued, fully smirking at him now. I could feel my shoulders relaxing from the stiff position it was in seconds ago. _This,_ I noted to myself, was the way things had always been like between us.

 _Easy_. _Or maybe it had been too easy._

"You say that as if I'm ancient," he laughed, the sound resounding across the empty diner. I felt the warmth in chest spreading from his laughter, my lips curling at him in return.

"Aren't you?" I quirked an eyebrow in jest. "I mean, you could easily pass for… I don't know, forty?"

Edward guffawed, startling the waitress from her perch on the counter.

"Forty? How dare you!" he said in between chuckles.

"Yeah, your gray hairs are showing, grandpa," I told him, pointing to the _nonexistent_ gray hairs at his temple.

Edward suddenly grabbed my pointer finger and held it in his hand tightly, pinching the tip playfully. I squealed when he moved my finger closer to his mouth, his teeth snapping at me. We played this ridiculous game for a while, our laughter echoing across the space around us. In the years that I've known Edward, I have never seen this side of him before. Well, given that I first knew him as my professor, it would not have been appropriate for him to act this way with me. Still, nonetheless, I found myself enjoying as I learn this persona of his outside the four walls of a classroom.

We were interrupted by the waitress as she brought our cups of coffee to the table. I caught the look on her face as her eyes moved between Edward and me, the curiosity obviously painted on her face. It made me wonder how other people would perceive us if they were to see us now; playful, eyes focused on each other, happy. Would it have made a difference if these people were to know that we first met while I was a college student and he was my professor?

The thought sobered me a little, making me conscious of my actions around Edward. What does he think of me now? Then? Would he think that I was a taboo if he knew of my crush on him back in college? What about now? Does he still think of me as his student? God, I hope not.

"What got you thinking so deep, Bella?" Edward asked over his cup of coffee, interrupting my inner struggle.

"Nothing," I assured him, my hand reaching for my own cup.

He quirked his eyebrow at me, as if he wasn't believing the lie that came out of my mouth. I held his gaze as I took a sip of the steaming coffee, my tongue burning at the contact.

"I don't believe you," he said after a few seconds, his eyes never leaving mine. "Something's on your mind, and whatever it is, it shows on your face."

I averted my eyes from him, quite surprised that he could sift through my muddled thoughts easily. I was baffled by the sudden realization that Edward could still be thinking of me as a student, nothing more, nothing less. It was a whole other world from what I want him to see me as; an equal adult, one he could _possibly_ build a relationship with.

Still, I felt as the uncertainty settled in my stomach, the heaviness weighing me down. It felt as if a rock was lodged in my throat, making it hard for me to breathe. The words were edged on the tip of my tongue, just waiting for me to open my mouth for the floodgates to be unleashed. I knew I was hesitating, and for a good cause, I think.

 _Even after all these years, I was still not ready for a rejection from Edward Cullen_. Not that I think that I'd ever be ready for that, still, I think I want to keep the illusion alive that we could turn into something more, something far from the forbidden.

"Earth to Bella,"

Shaking my head to keep my thoughts off of my mind, I refocused my eyes to look at his earnest face. I could tell that whatever was on my mind was influencing our night, drawing Edward's eyebrows into a frown. I gave him a small smile while I urged my mind to keep the night going, to stray from these thoughts before I give myself an aneurysm.

"You know that you could ask me anything," Edward said, his hand gently placed on top of mine. I resisted the urge to turn my palm up and grasp his hand tightly.

I fumbled with the utensils placed on the table with my free hand for a moment, gathering my courage to face him. The question was burgeoning to burst from my lips, my mind almost erratic with all the possibilities I could think of. In this moment, I was irrational and scared, a deadly combination. My eyes were moving all over the place, and I can't fathom the relief I felt when I spotted the waitress holding our orders in her hands. I gave her my sole focus, my eyes cataloging her slow gait, the slight tremble in her hands as she tries to balance the loaded plates perched atop her arms. I almost inhaled my food when she placed it in front of me. I was barely able to mutter a small 'thank you' in her direction before I directed my attention to the plate of biscuits and sausages in front of me. I wasn't even that hungry, I was just looking for an excuse to take away Edward's attention from what was troubling me.

It wasn't a gracious sight to see me scarfing down my food like a bear, but at this point, I just didn't care. I was willing to do anything to prolong Edward's possible rejection. From my periphery, I could see Edward intently watching me with amusement and confusion marring his perfect features. I know that he's wondering what the hell happened that I suddenly attacked my food with such vigor. Soon, he would know, and I would too.

The thought that he might still be thinking of me as a student almost caused me to choke on the load of food I had in my mouth. My eyes watered as I struggled to get it all down, my hand trembling as I reached for my cup of coffee. Suddenly, Edward's hand grasped mine as he passed me a glass of water instead.

"Slow down, Bella," he said in a serious voice, void of all the playfulness surrounding us earlier.

I nodded my head, acquiescing. It was uncanny that Edward could decipher my thoughts just from the emotions on my face. It left me feeling exposed, like I would not be able to hide anything from him. That thought scares me as I think of what he must have seen on my face years ago, or worse, what he is seeing on my face _now_. It wasn't a secret that I harbored a crush on him two years ago, well, not to my peers anyway. Still, it makes me wonder if he knew all along, if it was plain as day that I was a naïve girl crushing on her unattainable professor.

"Tell me what's on your mind, Bella," he practically demanded with a gentleness in his tone, as if he knew that whatever I held to myself was dear to me.

"I…" trailing off, my eyes moved all over the place before I settled on his face. The expectant look on his face pushed me to the edge, willing myself to freefall. "Do you still think of me as your student?"

Shock played on his face before the confusion settled. Edward looked at me for a long time, his mouth set into a firm line. I was getting antsy from the way he was staring at me, like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve. I watched as he opened his mouth a few times, but no sound came out. He cleared his throat, his hand scratching at the scruff on his chin.

"You know, I haven't thought of you in a year," he started.

My heart pummeled to my gut, the breath whooshing out of me at his words. My gaze unfocused as I tried to look at anything but at him, the tears threatening to fall as the words registered.

 _Haven't thought of you in a year,_ punch me in the gut, will you?

"Bella," he called, his voice ringing in my ears, "It took me a year to get you out of my mind, and when I saw you again last night, I realized why."

I gulped, fearing his next words. There was a feeling deep in my stomach, one I couldn't shake off. It resonates to my chest, making my heart feel warm and unsettled.

"All this time, I never really saw you as my student, Bella."

 ** _AN:_**

 ** _So, what do you think?_**

 ** _As always, thank you for reading! And a special thanks to the amazing SunflowerFran for rec'ing this story on her Facebook Page :) I know I suck at replying to reviews, but please know that I truly appreciate them :)_**


	4. Chapter 4

_**September 2014**_

The next time I attended Professor Cullen's class, I consciously made the effort to be at least thirty minutes early. I know that it's utterly ridiculous, but I don't think my heart could just take another embarrassing incident. Besides, I don't want the professor to think that I'm an incompetent student who couldn't tell the difference between a professor and her peers. Although I just did the exact same thing, I still want to show him that I could be a model student, if I put my mind to it anyway.

That's how I found myself sitting alone in an empty classroom _forty_ minutes before class, feeling like a big dork. I headed for the rows of seats at the back of the room, forgoing my previous spot from last Wednesday's session. As I place my bag as the foot of my seat, I realized that I have totally underestimated Seattle's bus system. I even stalled while I was getting dressed for the day, even made some small talk with my roommate but, alas, fate played a trick on me. Not only did the bus get on my stop with five minutes to spare, the traffic was also surprisingly light given that it was a Friday morning rush hour. So, that leaves me here, sitting alone at the back in an empty classroom, feeling antsy and jittery. I looked around the room in silence, taking advantage of the fact that I'm alone and no one will get to see me scrutinizing every detail in the room. It came to light how I never noticed how big the room was, with rows upon rows of desks all circling towards the podium. My eyes were automatically drawn to the windows framing the sunlight shining through, giving Seattle a very healthy glow. I was so entranced by the refreshing view that I failed to notice that another person has quietly entered the room. I was only brought out of my musings when a throat clearing came from the front of the room.

My eyes swept over the empty rows of desks before they focused on Professor Cullen's form. Now, as a preface, I'd like to say that I've seen a lot of handsome men in my life, although most were in films and television shows, I still think that it counts. What I saw staring back at me could have given me a premature heart attack. I know that I've said that I have seen plenty of handsome men, but I don't think anything could come close to what, or _who_ , is standing in front of me. He was obviously dressed for the weather, wearing a light turtleneck in gray that was paired with dark jeans. His hair was in an unusual disarray, making him look like a lion. I tried to find words, but my mind was in a jumble and tongue was in knots. The only thing I could think about was how unprepared I was for this.

Here I am, coming in to class thinking that I was prepared for the onslaught of emotions I may face. I thought I was ready. I thought I was strong, but obviously, I wasn't strong enough for this. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of Professor Edward Cullen dressed casually for the weather. I think my jaw was on the floor, and it was a good thing that I was already sitting, or else I would have dropped to my knees. The thing was, I didn't know if the professor was aware that he has this kind of effect on women, and maybe to some men too.

"Good morning, Miss Swan," he said, smiling brightly at me. I stared at him for a second, my mind blank as I tried to get a hold of my bearings.

"Good morning, Professor," I replied after a beat, my face already flushed.

I noticed how Professor Cullen looked at me with a strange expression on his face, his eyes intently roving over my face. There was an unknown emotion lingering in his green eyes, his mouth twisted into a slight scowl. My brows crinkled in confusion, wondering idly to myself if I have something on my face. It took me a lot of control to not place a hand on my cheek to check. We stared at each other for a few more seconds before Professor Cullen blinked, and he snapped out of whatever trance he was in. I thought he was being weird. _And handsome_.

My eyes were still trained on him even when he has his back turned to me. The movement was so abrupt that I was not able to take my eyes off him, instead, I watched as he slowly took out his binders from his messenger bag and set them on the podium. He fumbled with his things for a bit, his back a little tense. I tried clearing my throat softly a few times to get his attention but either he was too focused on setting up for class or he was just ignoring me. The latter stung a little bit, for some unknown reason. After a while, I took a piece from the professor's book and started to take out my pens and notebook for the class.

 _If he's ignoring me by taking out things from his bag, then so will I._

I admit that I may have slammed my notebook a little harder than necessary, especially when my pens were jostled from the desk. Huffing out a sigh, I bent down in my seat to pick them off the floor. With my head under the desk, I didn't see the feet quietly approaching me. I almost banged my head to the desk when they stopped a few feet in front of my face, a little squeak of surprise slipping through my lips. In a quick move that brought me a bit of dizziness, I snapped up in my seat. I came face to face with the professor's crotch, so I quickly averted my eyes. With my pens still clutched tightly in my fist, I quickly scanned the empty room before I looked up to see Professor Cullen's face. He was smirking at me, the bastard.

"Are you okay, Miss Swan?" he asked, his mouth curved into a smirk.

Scowling, I crossed my arms over my chest and looked up into his eyes. "I'm fine," I muttered petulantly.

I watched as the professor struggled to reign in his laughter, still, a small chuckle escaped. I raised an eyebrow in irritation.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Professor Cullen said, raising his hands in surrender. "But seriously, are you okay?"

"Yes," I relented, the frown loosening from my face.

The professor was still staring at me with the strange expression he had on his face earlier. Unconsciously, I raised a hand to do a quick sweep over my left cheek, trying to check if I did have something on my face. I surreptitiously brought up my palm to see if I got any dirt but it was clean. I was just about to do the same to my other cheek when I noticed the frown starting to form on the professor's face.

"What are you doing, Miss Swan?" he asked, his brows pulled tightly in confusion.

"Uhm, I was just," I started, my raised hand sweeping over my hair instead, "Nothing."

Professor Cullen didn't say anything, but he did quirk an eyebrow at me in disbelief. I gathered as much courage as I could before I blew out a long breath.

"Is there something on my face?" I asked after a beat, my eyes intent to watch the expressions on his face.

"What? Why?"

"Well," I took another deep breath, steeling myself, "You were staring so there must be something, maybe dirt or-"

"I'm sorry," Professor Cullen said, interrupting me. "I mean, I'm sorry for staring. And you don't have anything on your face."

"Oh," I breathed out. "Then why were you staring?"

 _All self-preservation, gone._

I flushed a deep red as soon as I realized that I spoke without filtering my thoughts, my skin burning from the rush of blood. My gaze was diverted to the floor below me, refusing to meet the professor's widened eyes.

 _I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole._

I was shuffling in my seat, thoroughly embarrassed for opening my big mouth. From my peripheral, I could still see that Professor Cullen has not moved from his spot. His feet were still firmly planted in front of me. My eyes were still cast downwards, and I swear, they almost popped out of their sockets when Professor Cullen moved closer.

I was frantic. My ass was already off the seat, my stance ready to bolt. Professor Cullen stopped with a mere foot away from where I was half-crouched. My eyes snapped up to meet his, an excuse already forming at the tip of my tongue.

"Miss Swan, this is completely untimely but I find you— "

Whatever Professor Cullen was about to say was _ruined_ by the stream of students entering the classroom. Their chatter was loud enough to break the moment the professor and I were having. Without noticing, Professor Cullen has stepped away and moved back to the front of the room, straight to his podium. His eyes were slightly downcast, clearly avoiding meeting anyone's gaze. Regardless of the noise now surrounding me, my ears were ringing. The voices around me didn't matter as my eyes continued to follow the professor's every movement, even when I could see from his posture that he's refusing to acknowledge my presence now. My chest felt hollow from his avoidance.

I huffed out a huge sigh and I watched as Professor Cullen's back tensed slightly, his head snapping up. It looked as if he caught himself in the last possible moment before he turned back around to look at me. It's ridiculous, this dance we're doing. One minute we're sneaking glances at each other and the next we're acting as if the other didn't exist. It was mind-boggling at its best, rendering me to be incapable of focusing on anything, especially on _his_ class. The bell rang as more students shuffled inside the classroom. I saw the previous occupant of my seat sneer in my direction when she noticed that someone stole her spot. I shrugged as she turned her back to me, moving to the front of the room to occupy the empty seat there.

I sat silently in my seat as I watched the other students bring out various things from their bags, notebooks and pens, laptops, tablets, or anything that could be used to take notes. I looked to my right to see my seatmate furiously typing on his phone, his brows furrowed in concentration. The other students seated to my left were chattering quietly to themselves. I sat back and looked straight ahead, willing myself to clear all thoughts not related to this class.

My effort deemed to be futile, after all. Since the moment Professor Cullen opened his mouth and began his lecture, my thoughts went straight ahead and focused on the weird energy we have between us. I didn't hear a word in his lecture, although I tried my hardest to focus. Whenever I would look at his face, although he seemed to be avoiding my eyes, I was brought back to the expression on his face earlier. It lingers in my mind, especially now that I came to realize what I saw. It was confusion mixed with unadulterated interest, maybe even with a bit of attraction. But it was wishful thinking on my part, to want the professor to reciprocate the allure I felt for him.

Professor Cullen's lecture was over in a blur, well, for _me_ , anyway. I spent the whole period with my head in the clouds. I probably looked dumb, sitting in the back of the room with a blank expression on my face. _Hopefully_ , I had a blank expression on my face. Otherwise, I would have looked crazy if my face showed how I felt regarding whatever it was that was going on in my mind. I didn't want to dwell on the tiny bit of possibility that I saw a glimpse of attraction on Professor Cullen's face, but my mind keeps on coming back to that look on his face. The moment I saw the glint in his green eyes, I knew I was done for. It was a far-fetched idea, that the professor, a man who's seen the world, would find someone like me interesting. I know that I was naïve, a young girl who's merely an adult. I still make childish decisions and my parents still think of me as a little girl; someone who needs to be fussed over during the holidays. I couldn't see the appeal as to why a man as worldly as Professor Cullen would take an interest in me.

Of course, I knew that I could be getting way ahead of myself. Maybe Professor Cullen was only fascinated by the wonder and evident attraction on _my_ face. Maybe he thought that it was bound to happen, that he was expecting to have at least one female student rendered speechless by his handsome face. It probably happens to him everywhere he went, anyway. A face like that was expected to cause quite a stir in the female population.

The shrill ringing of the bell startled me out of my thoughts. So much so that I jumped a little in my seat, the guy on my right throwing me a curious glance as I tried to slow down my thumping heart. The other students fled the room like they had their asses on fire, leaving me blankly staring at the empty doorway. From my periphery, I could see the professor gathering his stuff and shoving them back into his messenger bag. I breathed out a huge breath before I clambered down from my seat and did the same. I was just putting my pen in the side compartment of my bag when I heard a throat clearing coming from the podium. Without thinking, my eyes snapped to that direction and landed on Professor Cullen's face. He was already looking at me, his bag clutched tightly in his grasp. I quickly averted my gaze and hitched my bag to my shoulder, ready to bolt. I moved swiftly to the door, ignoring the footfalls following softly behind me.

"Isabella," he called out, the sound of my name coming from his lips making my knees buckle at little.

"Yes, _Professor_?" I looked over my shoulder as I reached the doorway.

He looked at me for a moment, his head titling to the side as he stared.

I held my breath as I watched him open his mouth a few times, but no sound would come out. I was starting to get antsy, thinking that the professor might be playing with my mind again. In my almost anxious state, I gripped the doorway with my hand, possibly blocking the entryway. We stared at each other for a few more seconds before Professor Cullen started to speak again.

"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier, _Miss_ _Swan_ ," he said in a resolved tone. "It was unbecoming of me and I hope that you didn't take offense."

Of all the things that he could have said, this was the one that I wasn't expecting and it unsettled me.

"What?" I asked in confusion. I turned my body to fully face him again, releasing the doorway from my grasp.

"You pointed it out earlier that I was staring, and I'm sorry that _I_ made you uncomfortable," Professor Cullen answered, looking straight into my eyes. "I assure you that it won't happen again."

"What?" I asked again, feeling utterly puzzled now.

If it was possible, Professor Cullen stared harder into my face, as if looking for the answers to his unspoken questions.

"I didn't mind, I mean, I was staring at you too," I mumbled unthinkingly. I knew that my eyes widened comically as I registered the words that passed through my lips. The blush that crept up to my face was probably visible even from a distance. I hope this was the moment that the ground would open and swallow me whole.

Professor Cullen was fighting off a smile from his lips, his mouth twitching from the effort. I groaned audibly and smacked my free hand to my face.

"Well, that's one way to break the tension," he chuckled, his crooked smile now plastered on his face.

"Kill me now," I muttered behind my hand.

"Isabella, it's _fine_ ," he said, and somehow it irks me that I could hear the laughter in his voice.

"Ugh!"

Professor Cullen laughed freely now, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I stared, dumbfounded for a second. He looked so young when he has a carefree smile on his face. I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts going through my mind and focused on his forehead instead.

"Anyway," he started after a few beats, "I hope we can move past this and start anew."

"Yes, I like that," I nodded enthusiastically, "Let's move past this."

Professor Cullen smiled genuinely at me before his gaze moved to the entryway behind me. I moved a little to the side to let him pass, his scent hanging in the air as he brushed past me.

"I'll see you next week, Isabella," he said over his shoulder, throwing a smile my way before he moved out of my sight.

"Good bye, Professor," I mumbled. I was tempted to follow him but I didn't want to look like a tongue-wagging puppy so I stood my ground and settled to craning my neck as far as it could go before the professor's figure disappeared around the corner.

I stood in the classroom's doorway for a while before the bell rang above my head. I started to move towards the other end of the building for my next class, my mind still reeling from the conversation I had with Professor Cullen. It was odd, and comforting in a way how we could quickly resolve the awkwardness that crawled between us. Maybe me blurting out the most embarrassing thing have saved us, but still, there must have been something to be said about it. And maybe whatever we have between us could be saved too. Honestly, I hope it could be saved because I have never felt this anxious and exhilarated about something in my whole life.

 _ **AN: Let me know what you think.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**December 2016**_

It was nearing two in the morning, the window beside our booth overlooking the empty, sleeping streets of Seattle. I gulped down the sudden dryness in my throat, the roughness that came with it was a welcome distraction. I tried to look at anything but at Edward's face. I was afraid that I won't be able to gather my thoughts if I get a glimpse of his emerald eyes. My mind kept on playing his words, words that could either make or break us.

 _Never as a student. Never saw you as_ _ **my**_ _student._

I honestly don't know what to feel about that, about Edward seeing me more than he should have. On one hand, it was overwhelming, to say the least. To know that the object of your affection feels the same, well, maybe not _exactly_ the same, per se. Still, the thought that there's a possibility that he may feel the same about me brings a batch of butterflies to flutter in my gut. There was a bit of apprehension too, lurking somewhere in the back of my mind. It roots from the likelihood that what Edward's feeling _now_ was just some unresolved fantasy or something that he has been itching to tick off his list.

I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts rolling around in my mind and focused my eyes on Edward's unmoving features. He was staring at me intently, his mouth set into a firm line. I could see form the way that he's looking at me that he's waiting for my reaction. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes briefly, preparing myself for the floodgates I was about to open.

"I liked you, a lot," I whispered, my eyes trained on his chin. "When I first met you, I thought you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever laid eyes on."

 _Actually, I still do think that._

Edward shifted on his seat, his hands coming into view as he folded them together on top of the table.

"The thing is, you were my college professor," I continued, "You were this unattainable man that I see three times a week. I never thought that this crush could get any farther than seeing you every other day."

I breathed out a huge breath before looking up, "And then you were just gone, like, you disappeared in the blink of an eye. I didn't know what to think, didn't know anything. All I got was that you moved back to Chicago."

I waited for him to say something, _anything_ , but he remained silent. I looked away from him, my eyes moving back to the dimly lit streets outside our window.

"I tried to focus more on school, tried to forget anything that I _thought_ happened between us. I tried dating for a while, but nothing ever worked out with anyone. It seemed that I couldn't find what I was looking for. And _nothing_ ever happened between us, you know? Nothing more than inside jokes, some lingering touches, but nothing to be considered inappropriate." I said in a low voice, my eyes trailed on your fidgeting hands.

I watched as his hands untangled, one moving up to scratch the scruff on his chin. My eyes followed his every movement until I found myself staring directly into his green eyes.

"I'm sorry for disappearing just like that," he said, his voice a little rough. "And Bella, it wasn't _nothing_."

"I felt the same way that you did, but I can't exactly act on it," he continued, "I was your professor, for Christ's sake. I wasn't supposed to feel the way I felt about you."

I nodded mutely at him, my mind running through his words one more time.

"So you moved back to Chicago?" I asked, waiting for his confirmation.

"Yeah," he nodded, swallowing inaudibly. I watched as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"Why?"

Edward breathed out a huge sigh, his shoulders tensing a little.

"I," he shook his head, closing his eyes momentarily before opening them again. "I was in a long-term relationship at the time, Bella."

A small gasp of breath whooshed passed my lips, my heart stuttering at the revelation.

"I didn't know that," I whispered, my eyes widening a little.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly someone who was forthcoming about my relationships, but I was in a relationship when we first met," Edward said, his voice almost as soft as mine.

"How long?" I asked, my breathing hitching a bit in the end.

"Eight years,"

I exhaled loudly, releasing the breath I was holding in. My mind was surprisingly blank, possibly from shock. This was a revelation to me; I didn't know that Edward was in a relationship when I had the biggest _fucking_ crush on him in college.

Immediately, without my consent, my eyes moved to look at his _bare_ ring finger. I tilted my head to the side, wondering _what_ happened there.

"And you're still together?" I asked in a normal voice, despite the drumming in my ears. I wanted to demand answers from him, but I know that I can't do that, not when there might be someone else.

"No," he simply said. I watched his face for any kind of reaction, but I could tell that he was keeping me at arm's length, shielding his feelings from me.

I reckoned that his voice was _too_ calm. I expected disappointment, maybe even a bit of resentment, but he gave me nothing. I couldn't tell if he was that good of an actor, or if he was just over it. And I couldn't fathom how one could spend almost a decade of his life with someone and not wind up with this other person. I mean, wasn't that the whole point of it?

His reaction, rather the lack thereof, was making itch for answers.

" _Why_?" I blurted without thinking. I regret it immediately when I saw how Edward's eyes widened. "I'm sorry— "

"It's fine," he said, a reassuring smile starting to form on his lips. "It's just, when you've been with someone for as long as eight years, you think that it's going to end up in marriage and when you suddenly find yourself just not feeling the same way that you did some years ago, it makes you rethink about the future."

"I was in love with Kate for the longest time," he continued, "We met in college, had some classes together. We were friends for a few years before it developed into something more."

"Back then, I was so sure that I was going to marry her. I mean, we had our lives figured out. The only thing that was missing was _that_ ring on her finger, and I was also about to propose but suddenly, this job in Seattle came up and I just couldn't pass it up."

"The teaching position?" I asked him, my voice so low that I wasn't sure if Edward heard me.

"Yeah," he nodded, his eyes staring far ahead, "I just never thought _how much_ Seattle would change everything."

I wanted to pry more about Kate, about his life in Chicago and how much it changed after Seattle. I wanted to ask him about everything. Yet, as my eyes moved across the distance between us, I hesitated. I wasn't sure where I stand with him and I don't want to jeopardize _us_ in case I cross a line.

And what he said about how his feelings _changed_ made me pause in my seat. What if, by some miracle that we end up together, what if his feelings _for me_ change after some years? Maybe I'm thinking far too ahead, but what if we're threading through the same path and we end up in the same road that they did? There's no guarantee that the outcome would be different for us.

I snapped out of my thoughts as I noticed Edward staring at me in contemplation. He had his pointer finger slowly caressing his chin, his brows furrowed. I couldn't erase the frown on my face, my mind still replaying the scenarios I've conjured up in my head.

"Seattle," I rasped, clearing my throat before starting to speak again, "She didn't come with you to Seattle?"

"No," Edward said, shaking his head. "She was just starting her own business back when I was offered the job."

"Oh," I nodded, my mind cataloging this fact. _Was that the reason why it ended between them?_ I bit my tongue to stop myself from asking the question that was rattling around in my head.

"When I came back to Chicago, I was very determined to work it out with her," he continued, his eyes getting this faraway look in them. "I thought that being in the same city would save our relationship."

"We gave it two more years before we realized that nothing would ever be the same again," he said, his voice going soft. "Turns out, the man that went to Seattle wasn't the same with the one who came back."

My mind was a mess as Edward keeps on revealing these things about his failed relationship that spanned almost a decade. "And you moved back to Seattle? After it was over?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "I figured, why else would I stay in Chicago when there's nothing for me there anymore?"

"So, you're saying," I gulped down, my nerves suddenly making their presence known, "that you came back as soon as it's over?"

"Yes," Edward frowned at me, the confusion marring his face. I could tell that he's trying figure what's going on in my head and I averted my gaze from his, trying to hide the expression on my face.

I was being paranoid, and maybe a tad bit unreasonable, but as soon as I realized just how _recent_ his break up with Kate was, I quickly labelled myself as the rebound. I mean, let's face it. He just got out of an almost decade-long relationship. There's no saying that he's already over her. Maybe, that's why he was at the bar earlier. He was just looking for a rebound. And I happened to be there.

 _Oh, just my luck._

"Bella, what's wrong?" Edward asked, his brows furrowing further. I leaned back in my seat, sat up straighter and looked him in the eye. I wasn't going to let him deter me.

"What? I'm fine," I shrugged.

Edward narrowed his eyes as he continued to stare at me, no doubt trying to figure me out. I let him have his fun as I reclined further into the booth, my back completely relaxing against the vinyl. Still, I was avoiding his gaze, going as far as focusing on the salt and pepper shakers placed to my right.

I was still reeling from his recent break up, and how I turned out to be a rebound. I don't think my heart could take it if it were true. Here I was, harboring this crush on him for years, and the first time we saw each other in years, he was looking for a hook-up. It was definitely not what I hoped for. I thought that we had some sort of connection back when we first met, and maybe we did, but I wasn't so sure that he's ready for something more _now_.

"Did I say something wrong?" Edward asked suddenly, his face expectant. "I'm sorry if I did."

"No, it's just," I released a sigh, the words on the edge of my tongue, "Nothing."

"Somehow, I don't believe you," Edward argued. "I said something and it made you upset."

I looked away from him, afraid of how he could _easily_ read me. I spotted the waitress watching us from her perch on the counter, and immediately, I motioned for a refill for my coffee. I trained my attention to her as she slowly approached our booth, the pot of coffee held securely in her hands. I watched as she poured me a cup before smiling my thanks to her. Without missing a beat, I reached for my cup and brought it to my lips. the cup covered almost half of my face, and as discreetly as I could, I watched Edward as he directed his frown to the empty plate in front of him.

I could tell from the deep set of his eyebrows that he's mulling over the words he had said earlier, trying to determine what has got me upset. It was sweet of him to try to make amends. Yet, I couldn't shake off the protective wall I've started to build around my heart. I just think that it's for the best that I guard my heart around him, especially when there's no certainty as to his intentions.

We were sitting in an almost awkward silence when Edward's head suddenly snapped up. I waited for him to say something, anything. I watched as the proverbial lightbulb lit up in his head.

"Are you upset about Kate?"

I wondered how he came up with that, and he was aptly accurate too.

My lips were opening to form the word 'no', but my subconscious was telling me otherwise.

"Yes," I confessed in a whisper, my head hanging low.

"Bella," he said softly, "Trust me, please."

 _I want to,_ I hoped to scream at him. But the fact remains that my heart's obviously in too deep already, while his still hangs in uncertainty. Instead, I gave him a small smile before nursing my cup of coffee.

Edward sighed loudly across the table, the crease on his forehead telling me that he's deep in thought. I fought the urge to reach across the table and smooth my hand over it.

 _I wasn't entitled._

Minutes passed by as we sat in silence, Edward mulling about something in his head while I raced towards my third cup of coffee for the night. I could already the buzz running through my veins, but I can't find the will to stop. The longer Edward brooded across the table, the more I seemed to drain my coffee.

"Do you know why it didn't work out in the end for us?" Edward asked suddenly, almost making me jump in my seat.

I simply shrugged at him, willing him to proceed.

"It might make me sound like an asshole," he hedged, "but when I came back to Chicago, I realized that I was already over _her_ even before we were over."

"But you tried to make it work?" I quirked an eyebrow in defiance, "For two years?"

"Of course, we tried," he breathed out, "We spent the last eight years of our lives together. We can't just let it all go without trying."

I considered his words for a while, trying to make myself understand. And of course, I did. It was rational, something to be expected, really. I realized that you just don't throw away a good portion of your life, regardless of how much your feelings have changed. The least you can do is to at least give it another try.

I tried to stomp on the _jealousy_ creeping up at me, seeing as I'm being completely unreasonable for feeling this way. It was understandable that they tried to salvage what was left of their relationship. Hell, if I was in _her_ place, I'm pretty sure that I would have done the same. But this irrational part of my subconscious was trying to claw her way out and demand for a rebuttal. I tried my hardest to beat her to the back of my mind, away from making any decision.

"I understand," I muttered. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever for, Bella?" he inquired, his puzzled face looking at me.

"I," rolling my eyes at myself, I huffed out a breath. "I was being stupid earlier, I'm sorry."

"Come on now," he smiled, reaching for my hand across the table. I relented and wrapped my fingers around his, feeling the warmth emanating from his palm.

"I liked you more than I should have back then," he softly whispered. "And I like you _now_ , Bella."

He squeezed my hand, but it felt like his hand was holding on to my heart and squeezing it too. It was pounding and settling at the same time, if that was even possible. If Edward weren't holding tightly to my hand, I would have flown from my seat. The palm that was securely encased in Edward's was turning sweaty and I tried to squirm it out of his grasp but he just held on, I was embarrassed. I was ferociously blushing under his gaze, still, I can't take my eyes off of his. I was enamored, and there's no denying it.

"This thing with us," Edward started, squeezing my hand again for emphasis, "I tried my hardest to fight it. For years, Bella, I tried to justify to myself that what I was feeling wasn't wrong."

"You have no idea," I mumbled. "It was the same for me. I dated other people, but in the end, it wouldn't work out because I realized that I was looking for _you_ in every person I meet."

I knew I was allowing myself to fall for Edward, but in the back of my mind, I was also gearing up to protect my heart. It hasn't even been a day since we saw each other again, and here I am, already confessing years and years of pent-up admiration. It wasn't safe for me, but I couldn't help myself. Edward Cullen's charm broke down my barriers.

"Tell me we're going to give this, _us_ , a chance," he whispered, his eyes imploring. I was conflicted, because regardless of how much I _wanted_ to, there was still a part of me that was hesitant. However, I'm tired of being cautious. For once, I want to follow my gut, wherever it may take me.

With my mind made up, I gripped Edward's hand tightly. My voice didn't falter as I whispered out my yes. He beamed at me in return, momentarily dazzling me with his handsome face. We sat across each other in an empty diner in the middle of the night in Seattle, grinning like fools.

I may be insuring my heart for a probable heartache, but I wasn't going to let it take over me completely. I'm determined to make the best out of whatever this thing I have with Edward. Whether this would end the same way that his relationship with Kate did, or by some miracle, we would be able to make this work out, I wasn't going to let my hesitation take me from having the only thing I've ever wanted since the first time I met him in college all those years ago.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Edward asked, grinning mischievously at me before turning his eyes to look around the empty diner around us.

My heart jumped in my throat at his question, but I steeled myself. I'm willing to take chances now.

I squeezed his hand one more time before I turned my palm up and entwined my fingers with his.

"Let's go."

 _ **AN: Now that the cat's out of the bag, thoughts?**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**October 2014**_

To say that I was shocked when Professor Cullen didn't return my smile the next time I saw him would have been the understatement of the decade. I expected that we would at least be friendly, but when I entered his classroom on Monday of the next week, he didn't even glance my way. Now, I wasn't expecting something spectacular to happen, but at least an acknowledge for my presence would have sufficed. Instead, he kept his eyes trained on the smartphone he held in his hands, his lips set into a firm line. For a moment, I stood by the doorway, gaping at his figure until I snapped out of it and proceeded to park my ass on the seat at the back.

I rationalized that maybe he didn't see me entering the room, or maybe whatever it was on his phone was just too important. Still, it didn't help my predicament especially when Professor Cullen didn't even look my way for the whole period, not even when he called my name for attendance. I sighed in defeat as I realized that he's ignoring me, for whatever reason. I tried my hardest to not get upset, but the effort was futile the second I felt the pinpricks of tears edging in my eyes. I don't even know why I'm bothered, I mean, sure, I have a crush on him but that's that, right? It was only a stupid crush.

 _I'll get over it soon._

By the time the bell rang and the students around me scampered to get out of the room, my resolve has been made. If Professor Cullen wouldn't acknowledge my presence, then I would do the same to him. I'll focus on the lessons instead of pondering why he's ignoring me. I would study harder for this class and make up for all the times I zoned out as I tried to figure him out. And the professor didn't disappoint, even when I moved slower than a snail's pace as I gathered my stuff, he still avoided me. So, I quickly shoved my things back into my backpack and stomped my way to my next class.

Since that fateful Monday morning, a whole month passed by as I tried to take my mind off Professor Cullen. Admittedly, it was hard at first, especially when I still see him three times a week. Let me tell you, it wasn't _fun_ to act as if his mere presence doesn't turn my insides into jelly. But as the days went on and we tried our hardest to avoid each other at all costs, it somehow became easier as the semester progressed. Sure, we ignore each other like the plague whenever we cross paths in the hallways, not to mention how much we try to pay no heed to this stupid _cosmic_ connection that we feel for the other. Still, I figured that it was for the best, anyway. I know now that nothing could come out of this, no matter how much I want it. And I wasn't even sure what I want. Sure, I may have the biggest crush on the professor, but it doesn't really mean anything, does it? Whatever I feel may _only_ be a fleeting attraction, or some stupid hormonal infatuation, and there's no guarantee that I may want something beyond that.

And it would probably be stupid, not to mention immature, to want something beyond an infatuation, especially when the turn of events that led to it was based on one, single interaction. Regardless of the connection we may have felt during that one time, it seems rash to act on it. Also, the certainty that the professor feels the same was contentious. Especially with the way he's acting towards me right now, as if I don't exist.

With these thoughts swirling in my head, I pushed open the door to the coffee shop a few blocks from my dorm. The scent of brewing coffee instantly infiltrated my nose, making my caffeine-addicted body buzz in excitement. I quickly headed straight for the counter, my eyes inevitably drawn to the pastry display. My mouth watered at the sight of the coffee shop's freshly made blueberry cheesecake, its sweet decadence already tingling on my tongue. I wasn't paying attention to anything else around me other than the mouthwatering slice of heaven that was waiting for me by the counter. I saw a flash of bronze, and my heart stuttered in my chest, before I inadvertently crashed into the person standing in front of me, my nose diving into this person's coat, drowning me in his scent. I squeezed my eyes shut upon impact, feeling a little light in the head after I regained my balance. I could feel the person in front of me turning, my nose disconnecting from his back. With my eyes still closed, I could feel the pair of hands gently but securely holding onto my arms, this person's fingers tightening his grasp minutely on my flesh.

I prayed hard in my head, sending out pleas of help to whoever was up there. I couldn't believe how unfortunate I was lately, diving headfirst into things beyond my grasp. In all my life, I've only seen that distinct hair color _once_ , that metallic bronze hair with blonde highlights under fluorescent lights. I sucked in a deep breath as the fingers holding onto my arms disappeared, my ears ringing upon the release of contact.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, my eyes still shut. I swiftly turned around to head out of the coffee shop, only opening my eyes the moment I had my back to him.

"Hey," he said, quickly wrapping his long fingers around my wrist. An electric buzz hummed beneath my skin, raced through my veins before jumpstarting my heart.

Slowly, I moved to face him. I feigned surprise as my eyes landed on his handsome face. "Oh, hey, Professor Cullen."

He quirked an eyebrow at me, tugging on the wrist he still held in his grasp.

"I didn't see you there," I continued my bullshit even though I could feel my cheeks burning.

"Apparently," he chuckled.

The easy smile on his face baffled me. His mood swings were giving me a whiplash, given how he's ignored me for a month, yet, he's standing in front of me now, flashing me a mischievous grin. I was trying my hardest to not look him in the eyes, lest I give in and let myself hope again.

The awkward silence that descended upon us was palpable, only to be broken by the cashier's throat clearing.

"Next," the bored-looking girl said from the counter. She was eyeing us speculatively, obviously annoyed that we were holding the line.

My eyes darted to the exit, and Professor Cullen must have caught it since he tightened his hold on my wrist.

"Let me buy you a cup," he murmured, inclining his head towards the counter. I opened my mouth to protest, my excuse already edging on the tip of my tongue.

"I insist," he cut me off, raising an eyebrow at me as if he was waiting for me to object further. Instead, I nodded dumbly at him before letting Professor Cullen lead me to the counter.

We walked the short distance to the counter, his fingers only releasing my wrist once we were standing in front of the cashier.

"What do you want?" he asked while his eyes perused the menu.

"Whatever you're having is fine," I whispered, surreptitiously looking at Professor Cullen from the corner of my eye.

His head snapped to my direction upon hearing my words, his face looking a bit perplexed.

"Come on, Isabella," he cajoled, "What were you going to order before you saw me?"

"I, uh," flustered, my eyes frantically looked to the menu, blurting out the first item I see. "Cardamom latte, please."

Professor Cullen hummed in acknowledgement, moving closer to the countertop to order. I moved my gaze to the cashier who was looking curiously between Professor Cullen and I. From the way her eyes were sparkling with mirth, I could guess that whatever story she's conjured up in her mind about us was probably scandalous. At that, I blushed furiously.

Professor Cullen moved to the side as he waited for our orders, occasionally throwing a quick glance at me. I managed to give him a smile in reassurance, but I think it came out more as a grimace because he stared at me for a moment, frowning. Finally, our cups of coffee were ready and Professor Cullen directed me to a seat at the far end of the shop. I watched as a few students smiled at Professor Cullen and looked at me in confusion. I wanted to duck behind him, or better yet, bolt from the coffee shop, but from the way he was constantly looking over his shoulder to check on me, I don't think he'd appreciate it if I hightailed it out of here.

So, as we reached the table, almost half of the coffee shop, which consisted of students from U-Dub, were straining their necks to catch a glimpse of the professor and I, mild curiosity burning in their eyes. My cheeks turned warmer as I made a quick sweep of the coffee shop, sighing inaudibly as I realized that regardless of the size of our audience, I didn't see a familiar face. I turned back to the table just in time to see Professor Cullen quickly, and gracefully, placing our cups on the table before holding out a seat for me. The color on my cheeks intensified, surely resembling the color of a firetruck.

"Thanks," I murmured, the hush of whispers from the students around us heightened by the silence on our table.

Professor Cullen looked around the place one more time, his brows furrowing as he spotted the eyes following our every movement.

"The attention we're being showered with is wholly unnecessary," he muttered under his breath.

"Well," I started, "I guess it's not every day they see a professor having coffee with a student."

"I suppose," he agreed, reaching for his cup and bringing it to his lips. I watched, transfixed, as he practically made love to the lip of the cup, his pink tongue peeking out to catch a drop he missed. "What?"

" _What?_ " I asked, confusion coloring my tone.

"You're staring at me," he said, chuckling a little. "Was there something on my face?"

"What? No," I shook my head, "I just… yeah."

"Isabella," he snickered, "Are you okay? You look a little… _occupied_."

"Uh, yeah," I gulped, clearing my throat, "I'm sorry."

He waved me off, taking another sip of his coffee before replacing the cup on the table. "So how have you been?"

"Fine," I mumbled, feeling a bit awkward. "School's good, so yeah. _Fine_."

I looked at him briefly before moving my gaze towards the exit again, contemplating if I could make a run for it. The way the other patrons of the coffee shop were eyeing us was awkward to say the least. I could practically hear the hushed words running through their minds, painting me as a slut who sleeps with her professor for a grade. Regardless of how far removed it was from the truth, the fact that they were given ammunition to think that stung. And it wasn't even like we were doing anything wrong.

"Isabella," Professor Cullen called out, "Why are you trying to keep me out?"

 _What?_

"Oh, wow," I muttered in disbelief. " _I'_ m trying to keep you out?"

"Yeah."

Wow, I couldn't believe it. Professor Cullen had the gall to call _me_ out when he's been doing the exact same thing to me, and _he_ started it in the first place.

"Well, wouldn't you know," I grumbled under my breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he raised an eyebrow at me in question, disbelief coloring his face.

"It means," tensing my shoulders, I sat up straighter in my seat, "That you of all people have the nerve to call me out when _I_ 'm ignoring you."

"Well, you are, and frankly, it doesn't sit well with me," he shrugged, the nonchalant action a grave contradiction to the firm set of his lips.

"You're my professor, _Professor_ Cullen," I reminded him, and myself, "I think that it bodes well for our dynamic that I don't pay you _much_ attention when outside the classroom."

"That doesn't mean that I have to like it," he countered, a playful smirk starting to bloom on his lips.

"And you ignored me first!" I exclaimed, garnering the attention of a few tables around us.

"Well, you should have confronted me," he mumbled.

"Excuse me?" I asked, my tone rising, "I wouldn't chase _anyone_ who chose to disregard my presence."

Professor Cullen remained silent, his lips pursing as he stared at me. I tried to give back as good as I can, the intensity of my glare could possibly send him to an early grave.

"For the past month, Isabella," he started, "I apologize for my behavior. I don't know what came over me."

"I wasn't expecting that, you know," I whispered after a few seconds. "I looked forward to that Monday morning all weekend, and when you didn't even look my way, I guess you could say that it ruined the whole week for me."

Professor Cullen winced, his eyes moving all over my face before settling on my eyes. "I'm so sorry."

I nodded in acknowledgement, my hands wrapping around the warm cup in front of me. I surreptitiously looked up to Professor Cullen under my lashes, noticing how his gaze never strayed from my face. I blushed under his scrutiny as our eyes met.

"Why did you do it?" I asked, and the way his eyes widened obviously says that he wasn't expecting that from me.

"Do what?" he confirmed, although, from the way his jaw clenched says that he knows exactly what I'm asking of him.

"Ignored me, acted as if I didn't exist," I said, "And I know that it really shouldn't matter because I'm your student and all, but that doesn't mean that it's okay."

"I know that it's not," he countered.

"Do you do it too? To your other students?" I asked him, the challenge in my voice was evident.

"No."

"Then why me? I mean, why did you act as if you didn't know me?" I was baffled, truly. I couldn't find a rational reason for how he acted towards me for the past month.

Professor Cullen was looking at me, gauging for my reaction, that much I could tell. I watched as a myriad of emotions danced across his handsome features, with his quiet contemplation finally setting in.

"You're different, Isabella," he simply said, his eyes never straying from mine. "There's just something about you, and I can't explain it."

"Oh, okay," I said dumbly, too shocked to comprehend what he just said.

Professor Cullen just stared at me, obviously trying to fight off his smirk, and losing.

"What?" I asked, clearly befuddled.

"What do you mean what?" he grinned.

"Why are you smiling like that?" I demanded, my tone _almost_ accusing.

"Smiling like what, Miss Swan?" Professor Cullen prompted, his _irritating_ crooked grin still in place.

"It's Bella," I said out of habit, "And you're smiling like you know something that I don't."

"Oh, I do," he chuckled under his breath, reaching for his cup and bringing it to his lips, "And it irritates you that I'm privy to it and you're not."

"Of course it does," I huffed, crossing my arms across my chest, "I'm feeling cheated, with you gloating and smiling wide across the table, and I'm over here, wondering what got you all toothy."

Professor Cullen laughed out loud as I said that, causing the other patrons to look our way. I slouched in my seat as a few of them eyed me curiously once they got a good look at Professor Cullen. There was a critical glint in their eyes, as if they could smell my attraction for the professor from where they were sitting. I caught the eye of one girl, who was looking at me with at me with a smirk on her lips. I tried to brush it all off, but the damage was already done.

"Does it bother you?" Professor Cullen asked, gesturing to the students around us.

"I, uh," I hesitated, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck rising as I was sure that someone was looking at me, "Yes, it does."

"Why?" he asked, genuine concern etched on his face. "We aren't doing anything wrong."

"I know," gulping down, I tried to gather as much courage as I could. "But they don't know that. For all they know, we could be having an affair."

"But we aren't," Professor Cullen insinuated. "We're simply having a cup of coffee together. It just so happened that I'm a professor and you're my student."

"But-"

"No buts, Miss Swan," he playfully reprimanded. "What we do on our time is none of their business."

"Okay," I reluctantly agreed, although the high color on my cheeks tells me otherwise.

"I was wondering," Professor Cullen started after a beat, "Why does it bother you?"

"Because," I sighed, "I don't want to be perceived as a girl who sleeps with her professor to get a good grade."

"We're not sleeping together," he stated, frowning at me, "What makes you think that?"

"Well, that's how some of these students see it," I explained, "I mean, we're sitting at a table, alone. And I'm sure none of them has ever seen you do the same thing with your other students, so, I think the conclusion was pretty much a given."

"But it doesn't mean that it's true," he said, looking down at his empty cup before redirecting his eyes to me.

"I know, _we_ know that it's not, but they don't," I acquiesced, "So, they're bound to draw up their own beliefs based on what they see."

"Okay," Professor Cullen nodded, "I get your point, but it doesn't mean that I agree with it."

I scoffed at him, rolling my eyes at him in jest. "Of course, you don't."

Professor Cullen beamed at me, showcasing his perfect, white teeth. We sat in comfortable silence for a while, before eventually heading into a discussion about school. I gathered that Professor Cullen was insightful, inside and outside of the classroom. He was fun, and enlightening, to talk to; whatever comes out of his mouth has obviously been processed before it was spoken, and in turn, every word he uttered holds some significance, may it be about his subject matter, or just about life in general.

We talked for a while, until almost all the other students left the coffee shop. We were just joking about how some professors from the university were terrorizing the students when I noticed how Professor Cullen seemed to be constantly checking his watch.

"Professor," I called out, "Do you have to be somewhere?"

I watched as indecision briefly settled on his face before he looked away from me.

"Actually, yeah," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "I have this meeting to attend at the university."

"Oh," I said, a bit defeated. "Well, I won't keep you."

I tried to smile genuinely at him, not wanting to end our time together. Regardless, I started to pack up my things as Professor Cullen did the same. Once we were both settled, we stood from the table and walked side by side to the exit. Professor Cullen held the door open for me, and I think I swooned a little. I tried to reign in my giddiness but I'm sure the blush on my cheeks gave me away.

"So, I'll see you next week," Professor Cullen said, smiling at me as he put on his coat.

"Yes," I nodded, following his lead and settled my coat on my shoulders. "Good bye, Professor."

" _Bella_ ," he said, tipping his head at me, a grin plastered on his face.

I watched as he turned on his back and headed for the direction of the university, his smile stretching from ear to ear. I kept on looking at his back until he turned around the corner and his form disappeared from my view. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and looked around me again, my eyes automatically going to the pastry display by the counter.

 _Damn, I didn't get my cheesecake._

 _ **AN: Their relationship is blossoming :)**_

 _ **Let me know what you think!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading.**_


	7. Chapter 7

**_December 2016_**

I didn't pay attention to our surroundings the moment Edward hailed a cab and rattled off an address to the driver. Besides, I felt safe with him. Maybe I was being stupid for trusting him completely, but I reckoned that he wouldn't hurt me. So, I blindly followed him out of the cab and up the stairs to a dimly lit apartment building. I admit that my heart plummeted to my stomach once I realized that Edward brought me to his apartment, in the middle of the night, _alone_.

He was busy rifling through his keys to open the door, while I stood behind him, gaping in disbelief.

 _I can't believe that he thought I was_ _ **that**_ _kind of girl._

Edward turned back to me as he holds the door open. I stared at him for a few seconds, trying to come up with an excuse as to why I _can't_ go in. I came up blank, especially when he smiled at me warmly.

"After you," he mumbled, his fingers gripping the doorframe.

I nodded before tentatively stepping through the threshold, my legs shaking slightly as I tried to hold on to my balance. The door clicked softly behind me before I felt the warmth of Edward's body against my back, my breath coming out in soft pants at his closeness. I was facing straight ahead, my back ramrod straight as I stood in the middle of his dingy hallway. I could hear my breathing, and Edward's, in the silence between us. I'm sure that he could tell that I was nervous, given how I was practically shaking like a leaf in front of him.

"Hey," he whispered, his hand softly touching my shoulder, "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yes," I said automatically, tremors coloring my voice.

"Are you sure?" he asked, turning me slightly to face him, "You're shaking, Bella."

I took a deep breath before turning around and locking my eyes with his, steeling my features to carry a calm façade.

"I'm fine, really," I told him, "I just…"

"What, Bella?"

"Did you," gulping down the dryness in my throat, I straightened my shoulders to look at him straight in the eye. "Did you bring me here to have _sex_?"

Although the last part of my question was uttered in a whisper, I'm sure that he heard me, given how his eyes widened in surprise.

" _What_?" Edward sputtered, his ears reddening at the tips. "What?"

"I said, did you-"

"I heard you the first time," he mumbled, his head coming down to rest on my shoulder. "Why would you think that, Bella?"

"I…" trailing off, I looked anywhere but at him. " _I don't know_. I just thought that, you know, you brought me here for _that_."

Edward exhaled loudly, his warm breath going directly against the exposed skin of my collarbone. I shivered a little from the contact, feeling my skin tingling as Edward continued to puff out warm gasps of breath against my shoulder.

"I didn't take you home to sleep with you, Bella," he muttered. "I just wanted to spend more time with you."

Upon hearing his words, my body sagged in relief against his. The thundering in my chest calmed down, and my shaking legs stopped their quivering.

"I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say that," I sighed, leaning further into his chest. "I thought all you've wanted me for was for some romp on the sack."

"Oh, god," he chuckled, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," I murmured, my mouth pressed against his shoulder. "I should be the one saying sorry, jumping to conclusions and all."

I _felt_ Edward snicker against my skin for a few more seconds before he raised his head and looked at me with an intense stare. The green in his eyes were startling against the smooth backdrop of his handsome face, depicting an angel. I heard my breath hitch in my throat, my eyes steadily trained on him as I watched a mischievous grin form on his lips.

"It's no problem at all," he whispered against my skin.

I'm embarrassed with the way my heart drummed wildly in my chest and my breath stuttering in the silence that surrounds us, but I couldn't help it, not when Edward was a hairsbreadth away from my warm skin. I was frozen in my spot, ridiculously conscious of every imperfection that he could see up close.

I could feel the roughness of the five o'clock shadow on Edward's face, with every scratch sending a tingling sensation under my skin. His sweet breath lingered in the small space between us, sending a heady scent to permeate my senses. I startled out of my bubble when he moved his face impossibly closer to mine, his lips placing a soft kiss upon my cheek.

We stood there for a while, our chests lightly touching, our breathing synchronous and erratic. Edward still haven't removed his soft lips from my cheek, and I think I died a little when he moved towards the corner of my mouth. I waited with bated breath, my lips already tingling even before any contact was made.

Before I could tilt my head to the side, he placed a smacking kiss right on the corner of my mouth before slowly retreating, his eyes shining with mirth. I resisted the urge to bring my fingers to where his lips made contact.

"Let's go," he said, reaching out to grab my hand in his.

I followed Edward in a daze as he led me through his dimly lit apartment. My eyes tried to look around, tried to take in the knickknacks lying around, but it was too dark to see anything that could give me a clue as to who Edward turned out to be in the almost two years we didn't see each other.

As we reached his living room, Edward led me to a comfortable-looking couch before urging me to plop down on it. I carefully shifted my legs and fixed the hem of my dress as Edward took a seat beside me. His arm automatically moved around my shoulders, bringing me closer to his side and I didn't hesitate to lean further into him.

"Nice place," I murmured against his shoulder, briefly looking around before I offered him a smile.

"Thanks,"

"So, uhm," I blushed as I tried to look at him, "What do we do now?"

Edward quirked an eyebrow at me, and the color on my cheeks reddened further. "We talk, Bella."

I nodded, watching as he lifted my hand from my lap and entwined his fingers with mine.

"Okay," I gulped, "What do we talk about, then?"

"Everything," he whispered, bringing my hand to his lips and placing a kiss against my knuckles, "I want to know everything about you, Bella Swan."

"There's nothing to know," I mumbled, looking down at our entwined hands, "My life has been pretty boring."

"I don't believe that," Edward said, nudging my chin to level his eyes with mine, "I think you're _very_ interesting."

As if on cue, the blood rushed to color my already warm cheeks, making the skin tingle from elation. The butterflies in my stomach didn't help the situation, either.

"Come on, Bella," Edward prompted softly, "I want to know about your life after I left Seattle."

"Well, I told you how I focused on my studies after you left," I reminded him.

"That's all? You just studied harder?" he quirked an eyebrow at me, looking as if he's dubious. "You didn't date or anything?"

I hedged a little as I thought about it, a tinge of hesitation clouding my mind before I turned back to him. "There was this one guy in college."

This time, I watched in mild fascination was both of his eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. Obviously, what I said took him by surprise. It was my turn to raise an eyebrow at him in question.

Edward shook his head slowly, a small smile gracing his lips. my raised eyebrow didn't relent though, prompting him to tell me what's on his mind.

"I'm sorry," he started. "I just wasn't really expecting that, I mean, not that it's _unbelievable_ , but, I just- ugh."

"What?" My brow still raised in challenge. "what do you mean then?"

"I just never _wanted_ to imagine you with someone else," he whispered in a resigned tone. "Since the day that I met you, I didn't want to picture you dating. And I know that it makes me a hypocrite since _I_ was in a relationship when we met."

"And you didn't tell me," I reminded him, mostly in jest but a small part of me was still begrudging him for that.

"I didn't think that it would have mattered," Edward started, "I mean, regardless of whether I told you about it or not, I don't think it would have made a difference. I think that the timing was just off back then."

"And besides, I, _we_ were not in the position to act on whatever attraction we felt for each other. It was a taboo, and I didn't want to do that to you, Bella."

"I understand," I nodded at him, "But still, I would have wanted to know and maybe, I don't know, maybe I would've backed off."

"You weren't doing anything wrong, Bella," he consoled, "I mean, I didn't even know that you felt the same way about me!"

"Thank God!" I joked, "Or else I would have been permanently red from embarrassment."

We settled ourselves into a more comfortable position on the couch, with me reclining against its right arm and Edward on the other end, my feet perched on his lap. He was softly massaging the soles of my battered feet, and I was sure that if he kept it up, I would melt into a puddle right in front of him.

"So," he said after a few moments of silence, "Tell me about this _boy_."

"What boy?" I clarified in confusion.

"The one you dated after I left U-Dub." He pressed harder on a tender spot on my sole, making me suppress a groan.

"Uh, no," I chuckled after composing myself.

"What?" he asked me with a smile, his hand gripping my ankle tighter.

"I don't want to talk about that _boy_ ," I groaned this time as his thumbs incessantly pushed down on the arch of my foot.

"Why not?"

"Because," I slumped further into the couch, my body completely relaxing against the cushion, "It doesn't matter, Edward."

"I still want to know," he murmured before focusing on his massage again.

"Well, he's actually in your class too," I relented, closing my eyes and burrowing further into the couch.

" _What_?!"

I almost jumped in surprise from his outburst. I opened my eyes just in time to see Edward sitting up straighter, his hands going still against my foot.

"He was in _my_ class?"

"Yeah," I nodded, suddenly feeling a bit unsure of telling him this. "Jacob Black."

"That _boy_?" Disbelief and surprise colored his tone. "I should have failed him when I had the chance."

I laughed out loud at the absurdity of that thought. "What?"

"I knew that _kid_!" he cried out. "He was a slacker!"

"He wasn't," I said through my chuckles, "He was pretty smart, actually."

"Bella, no," Edward said in a serious voice. "I should have given him a failing mark."

"You're ridiculous," I giggled.

"I'm not," pouting, he relaxed his hold on my ankles and crossed his arms across his chest, "You could do so much better than _Jacob Black_ , Bella."

"I know and I did," I told him, inching closer to place a kiss on his knuckles playfully.

"Still! You really dated that _boy_?" Edward asked me, looking adorable with the slight frown on his face.

"Will you please stop saying 'boy'?" I chuckled. "You make it sound like I dated a kid."

"He was a kid!"

"We were the same age," I reminded him, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"Yeah, yeah," he nodded, reaching for my ankles again, "But, still…"

"What?" I prodded.

"I don't like it," he scowled again, his fingers resuming their massage.

"You don't have to like it," I told him, relaxing again.

"Trust me, I won't," he insisted.

"Oh, I believe you," I said with a small laugh.

We settled against the cushions again, this time with a little bit more ease. We were bathed in silence except for the occasional shifting of clothes against the couch and the random groans of pleasure I emitted.

"Bella," Edward called out after a few minutes, "Why did you and _Jacob_ break up?"

I sifted through my words carefully before I turned to face him.

"We weren't compatible and it would have been a huge waste of time if we continued dating," I told him after a while.

Edward nodded at this, obviously running my words over in his mind. "I say it was a huge waste of time _dating_ him, period."

"What?" I giggled. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Edward said, his mouth settling into a firm line. I resisted the urge to reach out and touch my fingers to his lips.

"It doesn't matter, Edward," I reminded him, "It happened a long time ago."

"I know," he mumbled, moving closer to rest his head against my shoulder, "But, still, I hate that _kid_."

"No, you don't," I chided.

"Yeah, I don't hate him," he breathed out. "But it doesn't mean that I liked him."

"As I've already told you," I tilted my head to the side to catch his gaze, "I don't expect you to like it."

"I know," he murmured, looking down, "It's just, it irks me to know that he got to kiss you first."

"Then, kiss me now," I blurted out without thinking. My eyes widened as I gazed at him, my mouth opening slightly in shock. "I mean-"

The soft touch of Edward's lips to mine was unexpected yet it brought forth everything one could desire from her first kiss. And he wasn't mine or anything, but the moment our lips made contact, it felt like he was. It was exhilarating, the feel of the thrumming of small electric currents shooting beneath my skin as Edward pulled me closer to his warm chest. His arms wound around me and held me tighter and tighter until we were pressed so closely together that I couldn't distinguish where I ended and he began. Tentatively, my arms moved up his neck before I grasped at the short hairs on his neck. This elicited a small groan from Edward's throat which vibrated against my whole body. I pressed myself closer to him, my legs moving to wound around his hips as I scooted forward on the couch. Edward trailed his lips to my jaw, the skin tingling as he moved along. I huffed out small gasps against the skin of his neck, my lips moving along any part of him that I could reach.

I feel as his arms moved lower to settle on my hips, situating me on his lap. Edward traced his mouth back to mine, taking my bottom lip in between his, biting softly on the flesh. I tried to bite back a moan, my lips closing tightly over Edward's. The room was silent expect for our panting breaths and the occasional moans and groans. My hands were just inching closer to the hem of Edward's shirt when he suddenly stopped kissing me and slowly pulled back. His hands wound their way to frame my face gently between his palms, angling my head to meet his gaze.

"I think," he took a deep breath, exhaling slowly before continuing, "We should slow down."

I nodded silently at him, biting my bottom lip. His eyes moved towards the action, zeroing in on it. I gasped out loudly when he licked his lips in this tantalizing way, as if he was holding himself from devouring me. The permanent blush on my cheeks heightened if that was possible. It felt like my whole body was on fire, the heat coursing between our bodies intensifying the feeling.

"Bella," he called out, his hands steadying on my hips to stop me from squirming on his lap. I tightened my hold on his shirt, my fingers folding into fists as I grasped the material.

Lowering my head to rest it against his chest, I mumbled, "I should probably go home."

"Stay," Edward whispered against my hair.

"Edward," I said looking up at him, "It's fine. I should go home."

To prove my point, I relaxed my hold on his shirt, slipping my hands up until they rested on his neck. I burrowed my face closer to his chest, trying to memorize his scent. It was heady, like the scent of an old wine bottle being opened for the first time. I tried to ingrain his scent in my mind, for the possibility that this might be the last time I'd ever see Edward again. At least then, I'd have something to remember him by.

"No, stay," Edward insisted, moving his hands to my waist. "You can even have my bed and I'll sleep here, on the couch."

"I don't want to inconvenience you," I told him, "I'll just go."

I extracted myself from his arms, scooting back until my back was against the couch's arm. I looked around me for a while, straightening the hem of my short dress over my thighs. From my periphery, I could see Edward watching my hands as they smoothed over my exposed skin, his eyes glued to my thighs. I squirmed a little in my seat, feeling the heat of his gaze. His eyes flew up to mine after he was jostled out of his trance.

"Bella," he said softly, "Please stay. It's late."

I looked over to the clock hanging above the doorway to his bedroom, seeing that it's almost 3 o'clock in the morning. I thought it over in my head for a brief second before coming to a decision.

"Okay," I sighed, "I'll stay."

"You can take the bed, Bella," Edward softly reminded me. Standing from the couch, he turned back to look at me. "I'll just get some spare sheets from the hallway."

I quickly reached out and grasped Edward's arm before he could move, my fingers encircling his wrist to keep him at bay.

"You don't have to sleep on the couch," I told him sincerely. "We can share a bed."

"Bella, if it will make you uncomfortable to stay here if we share a bed, I'd gladly take the couch," Edward said. "It's no big deal."

"Come on," tugging on his arm, I drew him closer until his knees touched the couch. "We're two adults here, I think we can share a bed."

"If you're sure," he said, frowning a little.

"I'm sure," I nodded at him, my fingers tightening their grasp on his wrist.

"Okay," he relented, "I'll just get some spare pillows. Feel free to use the bathroom."

"Thanks," I called, watching as Edward disappeared into his hallway. I slowly stood from the couch, my legs feeling a bit cramped up for sitting for almost an hour.

I went for his bathroom, feeling a bit silly as I squirted a small amount of toothpaste on my finger before brushing my teeth with it. I washed my face next, making sure to remove all traces of makeup. I didn't want to scare Edward with my grungy look in the morning, after all. After I was done preparing for bed, I hesitantly crept towards his bedroom, peeking through the gap of the partially opened door.

What I saw inside made me gasp out loud before my blush quickly took over my whole body. Edward was standing in the middle of his room, shirtless. The lines and planes on his torso were enough to cause a dryness in mouth. His pajama bottoms were hanging low on his hips _that_ way, making it impossible for my eyes to stray from his happy trail. I cleared my throat to chase off the dirty thoughts running through my mind.

"Uhm," stammering, I tried to look anywhere but at his face. "Hi."

"Hey, Bella, uh," he shifted, angling his body away from my prying eyes, "I think these were the only clothes I have that could fit you, so…"

"Oh," I exclaimed, my eyes moving to the shirt and boxer shorts Edward has laid out for me on his bed, "Thanks, Edward."

I swiftly grabbed them against my chest and made a mad dash to the bathroom across the bedroom. I changed out of my clothes into Edward's comfortable shirt and shorts, my discarded dress hanging limply in my arm. I trekked my way back to Edward's room only to catch him coming out of a door I didn't notice earlier.

"There's a bathroom here," he told me, his thumb pointing to the door he just exited.

"Oh, okay," I said dumbly. I watched as he moved to the right side of the bed, looking up at me before climbing in.

"Ready for bed, Bella?" the humor in his voice was thinly veiled by his politeness.

"Yeah," I told him, climbing onto my side.

I quickly brought the blanket up to my chin, lying as stiff as a board. I heard Edward chuckling beside me, and as I turned to look at him, he averted his eyes from me.

"What?"

"Are okay, Bella?" Edward asked, a tinge of concern coloring his voice.

"Yeah," I whispered back, loosening my hold on the blanket.

"I could still take the couch if you want."

"No, this is okay," I told him, "I don't know why I'm being like this."

"I promise you, no funny business or anything," he said, turning on his side to fully face me.

"I trust you," I said, turning to face him too.

"Good night, Bella," he said, moving closer to place a soft kiss on my lips. "Sleep tight."

"Good night," I murmured, resisting the urge to touch my lips.

I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep, and just as I was about to drift off, I felt Edward's fingers intertwining with mine. I squeezed his hand gently, a smile playing on my lips as I drifted off to dream about him.

 ** _AN:_**

 ** _Do you like the pace of their relationship or do you think it could go faster? Or slower?_**

 ** _Let me know what you think!_**

 ** _Thanks for reading :)_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_October 2014_**

"So, what do you think?"

I was startled out of my thoughts, the ringing of the bell serving as a background noise to Professor Cullen's question. I looked around me quickly, seeing the other students rushing to get out of the room. I turned back to face Professor Cullen again, his question rattling in my head.

"About what?" I asked, a bit confused.

"Well, I see you're not paying attention in class, Miss Swan," he playfully chided. "What do you think about the lesson?"

"Oh," I mumbled, averting my eyes to stuff my notebook inside my backpack. I tried to stall as much as possible, trying to think of anything to tell him. "Uhm, I think…"

Professor Cullen hummed, raising an eyebrow in question. He gracefully perched himself on the desk in front of me, his eyes watching my every movement.

"The lecture was… nice?" I winced as soon as the words left my mouth, knowing for certain that Professor Cullen would catch me red-handed.

" _Nice_?" he chuckled, "Not scholarly or educational, but _nice_?"

I blushed under his gaze, feeling utterly embarrassed that Professor Cullen has caught on to my absentmindedness.

"You've been preoccupied, Miss Swan," Professor Cullen said, a knowing look lingering in his eyes.

"You think?" I mumbled under my breath, standing from my seat before turning my back to him to make it look like I was busy gathering my stuff.

Professor Cullen's observation was pretty spot-on. I have been distracted these past few days, following our eventful encounter at the café. I couldn't point out what has got me preoccupied, but in general, it was all about Professor Cullen. It seemed like since that weekend, all I could focus on was on the man himself. The irony that I didn't hear a word he said during the lecture was not lost on me.

"I think," Professor Cullen said lowly behind me, "We could discuss it over coffee?"

I looked over my shoulder at him, trying to decipher if he was being serious or not. "What?"

"Coffee, Miss Swan," he quirked an eyebrow, looking over at me briefly before turning his attention back to gathering his things.

"Yeah?" I frowned. "What about it?"

Professor Cullen released a deep sigh before chuckling, shaking his head. "Do you want to have a cup of coffee? With me?"

"Oh," I mumbled, still feeling a bit dazed. " _Oh_."

"That's not a yes," he teased, "And not a no, either."

"I… yeah, sure," I mumbled, looking to see his eyes before moving my gaze back to my hands, "Coffee sounds nice."

From my periphery, I could see Professor Cullen's feet standing firmly in front of me. Slowly, I hefted my backpack onto my shoulders, looking up briefly to meet his gaze.

"Ready?"

"Yeah," I nodded, following him as he headed for the door.

I noticed how Professor Cullen kept on looking back at me over his shoulder, as if he was making sure that I was following him. I don't know what his deal was, why he's been acting this way with me, but I wasn't complaining. As we quietly walked along the hallways, I couldn't help but notice the way the other students were looking at us, well, at _me_ , specifically. I could see the judgement in their eyes even when their mouths were tightly closed as we passed by, although there were the occasional agape mouths and dropped jaws left in our wake. I tried to keep my head down as much as possible, but I knew what followed next was bound to happen anyway.

I looked up as I heard my name being called, my eyes quickly scanning the sea of aces to spot a familiar face. My gaze landed on a friendly smiling face, one I knew from my class with Professor Cullen.

"Hey, Bella," he said, his warm voice wafting through the crowded hallway.

"Hi, Jake," I greeted him with a small smile, pleasantly happy to see him. "Great lecture earlier, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah," I mumbled, hoping he wouldn't notice my bluff, "Good lecture."

It was as if the humming chatter in the hallways stopped as soon as I spoke, the air suddenly becoming eerily quiet as the spectators' eyes darted between us. I chanced to look around me, catching a few of their gazes before they averted their eyes. I heaved a sigh before turning my attention back to Jacob.

"So, I got to go," I told him, nodding towards the exit at the end of the hall. "But I'll see you on Friday, yeah?"

"Sure, Bells," Jake said, smiling widely at me before turning to head back to class, I presume.

I started to move forward again, my head still turned slightly to watch Jake walk away, when I stumbled against a solid warm chest. I reached out my arms just in time for the professor to grab them. It felt like the whole world stood still as every eye in the hallway focused on us. I could feel the warm blush covering my whole face, my arms tingling from where Professor Cullen was still holding on to.

"You okay?" he asked lowly, the huskiness of his voice sending shivers up and down my spine.

"Yeah," I nodded, subtly moving myself away from his touch. I didn't want to give any more ammunition to the rumors running rampant around the campus.

Professor Cullen didn't loosen his grip on my arms, his eyes fixed on my face as a frown formed on his. I met his stare head-on, willing myself to not waver under his inspection. The whispers buzzing around us startled me out of our little stare down, shaking my head a little to get a grip on my bearings.

"Professor," I called out to him, a smile playing on my lips to hide my nerves, "Lead the way to that cup of coffee you've promised."

I watched as a grin broke out on his face before he chuckled, earning the attention of a few more students before he continued our trek to the coffee shop. I followed closely behind him this time, my strides making my legs ache as I almost had to break into a sprint to keep up. The moment the rare ray of sunshine hit my upturned face, I breathed out a sigh of relief. It felt claustrophobic to be inside that hallway, the whispers and the stares following our every move. I know that we weren't doing anything wrong, but the way that they were watching us, it felt like we were.

Professor Cullen stopped on his steps and turned to look back at me, his eyes quickly scanning my face before he smiled.

"This way, Miss Swan," he said, extending his hand to point to the coffee shop across the street.

I squinted my eyes to look to where he was pointing to, my face loosening when I saw that the shop was almost empty. I didn't feel like dealing with any more wandering eyes.

We quickly crossed the street to the shop, my head involuntarily turning to check if some students were walking behind us. It was ridiculous to assume that someone might have followed us, but I wasn't also willing to take any chances. The ringing of the bell overhead brought me out of my thoughts, my eyes going straight to Professor Cullen's back as he headed for the counter.

I watched as the young woman at the counter perked up the moment she caught sight of Professor Cullen. Her high-pitched voice filling the air as she greeted him. I gritted my teeth as she smiled big at him, her eyes moving up and down his body. I wanted to stake my claim, or maybe even gouge her eyes out, instead, I stood firmly behind the professor.

"What do you want, _Isabella_?" Professor Cullen asked, turning to look at me over his shoulder.

I tried to reign in my smile at the way the girl's smile faltered, feeling giddy that the professor hadn't forgotten about me.

"Whatever you're having is fine," I whispered, my gaze flickering over to the girl behind the counter.

"Cardamom latte, right?"

Shocked to hear that Professor Cullen remembered what I ordered the last time we were inside a coffee shop, my gaze flew to his, widening in surprise. The smug smile blooming on his face caused me to blush furiously and the girl at the counter clear her throat to get _his_ attention.

"One cup of Cardamom latte and a cup of Americano, please."

"Anything else?" Lauren, the girl behind the counter, asked.

I looked to her again, seeing how she's still eyeing Professor Cullen with lust in her eyes. The way she's almost leaning over the counter and showcasing her cleavage was an obvious attempt to get the professor's attention. Yet, the effort was futile since Professor Cullen was eyeing the goods displayed on the pastry display case instead of _Lauren's goods._ I may have smirked wide at the professor's show of indifference. Soon, Lauren had finally got the message that Professor Cullen wasn't interested and finally did her job, ringing up our order in a rather rude manner. She was huffing and puffing, her brows furrowed in a frown as she told us our total.

My hand automatically reached inside my bag to retrieve my wallet, quickly pulling out enough bills to cover our receipt. I stepped forward to deposit the cash on Lauren's outstretched hand but Professor Cullen grasped onto my hand and held me back. I looked at him in confusion while trying to free my arm and pay the bill.

"Isabella, I got this," he told me, trying to bring down my arm.

"It's fine— "

"I got it," Professor Cullen insisted, pulling out a twenty from his pocket and quickly handing it to Lauren.

She now watched us with renewed curiosity, her eyes shining with interest as her eyes moved between us quickly. I don't know if Professor Cullen noticed or not, but this moved me on edge for some reason. We stood to the side as we waited for our orders, not saying a word to each other but the silence wasn't awkward or anything. My eyes kept on moving between Lauren, who was still throwing occasional glances our way, and Professor Cullen's side profile. His eyes were still trained on the pastry display case, intently reading each item's name. I was mesmerized with the way his pouty lips were moving silently as he read each label that I almost jumped out of my skin when someone cleared their throat behind the counter. I met Lauren's smug gaze as she handed over our coffee. I also didn't miss when she _discreetly_ slipped a piece of paper to Professor Cullen.

I watched like a hawk as the action registered on Professor Cullen. Frowning, he looked down at the paper, his eyes moving over the words scribbled quickly before looking up at Lauren. She gave a coquettish grin, her hand coming up to her ear to depict the universal sign of 'call me'. I saw, and _heard_ , as Professor Cullen tried to fight off a snort, his face going read from the effort of holding it in. He shook his head twice at Lauren before crumpling the paper and putting it inside his pocket. I wanted to ask him for the paper to dispose of it myself, but I kept my mouth shut instead.

I followed as Professor Cullen led me to a table near the back of the shop, obscuring our view from the counter. He placed our drinks on the table first before turning back to face me and pulling out my chair. I gave him a quiet thanks as I settled, watching him as he moved gracefully to his side across the table. He handed me my cup before he retrieved his, quickly adding a pinch of sugar in his cup before stirring. The silence between us stretched, except for the clanging of metal against the china as Professor Cullen finished preparing his coffee. I brought my cups to my lips, hiding the half of my face from his view. I continued watching him as he took a sip of his coffee, briefly closing his eyes he gulped.

"So, Isabella," Professor Cullen started, replacing his cup on the table, "Your family lives here? In Seattle?"

"Oh, no," I mumbled, copying him, "I was born in Forks, a four-hour drive from here."

"Your parents still live there?"

"Yeah," nodding, I turned in my seat to give him my full attention, "My dad's actually the Chief of Police in Forks while my mom works as a kindergarten teacher."

"Do you have any siblings?" Professor Cullen continued to ask.

"No, I'm an only child," I told him, taking a sip from my cup, "What about you, Professor? Any brothers or sisters?"

"I have an older brother, Emmett," he said, pausing for a while before speaking again, "He's in Chicago, with my parents."

I nodded at him before turning my head towards the counter. From where I was seated, I could see a bit of the counter, and Lauren was leaning over again, this time, to catch a glimpse of us. I caught her gaze and quirked an eyebrow, silently asking about what the hell was her problem. From my periphery, I could see Professor Cullen looking over to where my eyes were trained, frowning as he caught sight of Lauren ogling him.

"What's her problem?" he asked, seemingly confused by the attention she's giving him.

"I think," turning to face him again, a smirk began to form on my lips, "I think she wants you to call her."

Professor Cullen chuckled loudly at that, causing Lauren to snap her head back to our table. I could see that she was straining her neck to see what the professor was laughing about, her torso almost hanging off the edge of the counter's surface. I stifled a giggle at her ridiculous position, instead turning my attention to the man in front of me.

The way Professor Cullen's laughing caused his eyes to crinkle at the corners, making him look utterly beautiful. His mouth was set into a wide grin, showcasing his perfect white teeth. A small dimple was on the left corner of his mouth, surprising me as I hadn't seen it before. I tried to tear my gaze away from his face, afraid that he would catch me looking. I don't think I'd be able to come up with a reason as to why I was staring that won't embarrass me.

"I don't think I would call her," he muttered under his breath. "Ever."

"Why?"

"Not my type," he said it so casually, but his eyes were intense as he stared at me.

I tried not to squirm under his gaze, but my flush must have given me away because a slow smile cracked the professor's serious expression. I rolled my eyes playfully at him, all the while my heart thundered wildly in my chest. He didn't say it out loud, but it felt like he was trying to communicate something with the way he stared at me.

"Oh, that's…" trailing, I peeked at him before averting my gaze to my coffee cup, "Good, I guess."

Professor Cullen hummed, the sound reverberating across the momentary silence between us.

"Was that guy from the hallway your boyfriend?"

My head whipped towards his direction so fast I almost fell out of my seat. I inclined my head at him in confusion, my brows furrowing. "What guy?"

"The one from earlier?" he confirmed, frowning.

"What?" I asked, racking my brain, trying to figure out what the professor was talking about.

"You know, the guy with the huge smile for you," Professor Cullen insisted. "You said you'd meet him Friday?"

I thought hard, replaying everything that happened in that hallway. All I could remember were the stared and the whispers as we walked by. Until one interaction entered my mind. "Oh! You mean Jake?"

"Yeah, that guy," he said, sounding a bit irritated. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"What? _No_ ," I chuckled, feeling ridiculous even for just thinking _that_.

"Really?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked him, curious as to why he was acting this way about Jacob.

Professor Cullen didn't answer as he averted his gaze from me. I felt the frown deepening on my face, especially when I noticed the reddening of the tip of his ears.

"Nothing," he muttered, bringing the cup to his lips, obscuring the half of It from my view. "I just, I thought you could do better."

"You're serious?" I asked, incredulous. I was trying very hard not to snort, but I did anyway. It was absurd, the way Professor Cullen reacted to Jake. "He's in your class, you know. That's how I met him."

"What?" he exclaimed. "I didn't know that."

"Obviously," I snickered.

Professor Cullen playfully narrowed his eyes at me, his lips pursing as he tried to fight off a smile.

"I think I'll check on his standing in my class," he muttered absentmindedly.

"No, don't do that," I chuckled, although I have a feeling that he's being serious.

"Why not?" he challenged.

"Why would you?" I countered him, raising an eyebrow in defiance.

Professor Cullen remained silent, looking down on his empty cup before slowly raising his eyes to meet mine. "I don't know."

I stared at him for a while, trying to figure him out. One moment he's avoiding me like the plague, and the next, he's bantering with me like we're old friends. It confuses me, especially with these feelings I have bubbling up at the surface. I figured that my attraction to Professor Cullen was too much for me to have this kind of ease with him. And with how we're acting towards each other, I couldn't help but hope for more.

I know that it's probably impossible for him to feel the same, but whenever I get glimpses of moments like these, I can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, we could go further than what we are now. Maybe someday, when we're both outside of the spectrum of being a professor and his student, maybe then we'd be something more. The way he looks at me sometimes makes me believe that there's something deeper for him too, and maybe he just can't act on it now, for obvious reasons.

"So, anyway," clearing his throat, Professor Cullen looked at me pointedly, "What do you think of today's lesson? Any points you want some help with?"

"Oh, I, uhm," blushing furiously, I looked up at him from under my lashes, "I wasn't actually paying attention earlier."

"Yeah, I noticed you were distracted during class," quirking an eyebrow, Professor Cullen smirked at me. "Do you need any help?"

"Yes," I nodded at him, feeling all kinds of stupid and immature for not paying attention earlier and asking the professor for help now. Even if he offered, it was still embarrassing that he caught my inattentiveness.

So, for the rest of our stay in the coffee shop, Professor Cullen gave a private tutorial that made me feel like a leech the whole time. And it wasn't because he was giving me a one-on-one lecture or anything, it was because I still could not focus on a word he said. The way his lips moved distracted me; how they seemingly wrapped around words that should not have turned me on and yet, they did. I paid closer attention to the shadows his long eyelashes created against his cheekbones instead of focusing on the subject matter. The way his long fingers drummed against the tabletop also caught my interest. In the end, I still didn't hear a damn word he said about his lecture.

The shrill ringing of his phone brought an end to our impromptu study lesson, his eyes widening slightly as he glanced at the screen.

"I have to take this," I muttered, looking at the screen again before refocusing his eyes on me. "Are you ready to go?"

"Uh, yeah," I whispered, looking around me to gather my stuff.

"I'll meet you outside?"

"Yes, sure," I told him.

I watched as he moved quickly to the exit, his ringing phone still grasped in his hand. I looked around me again, making sure that we wouldn't be leaving anything valuable behind. A piece of crumpled paper on the edge of the table across from me caught my eye. Looking over to the huge windows in front of the shop, I checked to see if Professor Cullen was looking at me. He wasn't; he has his back on the store, his phone pressed tightly to his ear. I cautiously reached across the table to retrieve the piece of paper, brining it under my side before unfolding it.

The girly handwriting scrawled across the paper made my brows furrow into a frown. It deepened when I read what was written on it.

 _'Call me when you're done with her- Lauren'_

Under it, her number was written in big, bold letters. My eyes flew to the counter to catch Lauren watching me. I lifted the piece of paper above my head, smirking at her. I thought steam would blow through her ears when she realized what I was flinging around above my head. Standing from the table, I slowly retrieved my bag and hefted it onto my shoulders. I walked slowly to the counter, a Cheshire grin on my face. I didn't say anything to her as I passed by. I simply placed the paper on the counter, her words facing her.

Leisurely walking out of the coffee shop, I stopped in my tracks when I stepped over the threshold. I could hear Professor Cullen finishing his phone call, his hushed words inaudible from where I was standing.

"Ready?" he asked, turning around to face me again as he pocketed his phone.

"Yes."

 ** _AN: Thoughts?_**

 ** _Thanks for reading!_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**December 2016**_

Slowly coming to consciousness, I immediately knew that something was different. It wasn't bad or anything, but it was enough for me to take notice. The sheets wrapped around me felt different; like the fabric wasn't as soft the ones I have in my room, and somehow, the ones I'm currently wrapped in felt starchy against my skin. They smell like sandalwood and something masculine, something that I'm familiar with, but I couldn't place where I've encountered it before. And the biggest difference would probably be the warm body lying against my back. This person's warm puffs of air against my neck were sending shivers up and down my back, making the small hairs on my arms rise. I clenched my eyes shut, trying my hardest to recall the events of the previous night. I knew I wasn't drunk; I was well aware that I only had two bottles of beer, and my stomach wasn't empty before I started drinking. My mind flashed through last night's events like a fast-forwarded movie with the details blurring into one another.

There was a hiccup in my memory as one face stood out from the crowd. I retracted my pace, rewinding the details until I could single out that face. His green eyes were the first thing that registered, quickly followed by his crooked grin and the distinguished mess of his bronze hair. I _reconnected_ with Professor Cullen last night. To prove my point, I slowly turned from my side, stealing a quick glance on his sleeping face. The sight of his handsome face still renders me speechless, the way it always does whenever I would catch a glimpse of it in passing. Yet, as impossible as it may have been, I'm sharing a bed with him now, and we didn't even had sex. I think that's a feat or something.

Slowly, I tried to maneuver from bed without waking him. My bladder was killing me, and I didn't want Edward to wake up to a warm _wet_ bed. I only managed to move for an inch or two before he began to stir. His hand instinctively moved to grasp my arm, pulling me closer to his side. I was conflicted; get back to Edward's warmth or attend to my human needs? My decision was made for me when Edward slowly opened his eyes, his lashes fluttering for a second, the green in them more intense with the sunlight streaming through the windows.

"You're not trying to sneak out, are you?" he asked, his voice all husky from sleep.

"No," I murmured, blushing as my body reacted to the deep timbre of his voice.

Edward gently tugged on my arm until my body was pressed tightly against his side. I wanted to burrow my head on the crook of his neck, but I had some needs I must attend to first. Stealthily moving away, I wriggled closer to the bed's edge, my arm still grasped in Edward's hand.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"The bathroom," I mumbled, my voice muffled by the pillow I smothered my face with.

"What?"

Embarrassingly red in the face, I tilted my head towards the bathroom's direction, my eyes trained downward. The lightbulb must have finally clicked in Edward's brain as his hold on my arm loosened, slowly, until I could completely move off the bed.

"You could use the en suite bathroom," Edward said, pointing to the adjacent door while looking up at me from his perch on his bed.

"Oh, thanks," I mumbled before turning to scramble into the bathroom.

I quickly did my business, washing my hands once I was done. While in the bathroom, I took advantage of the private moment I had to myself, squeezing a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on my pointer finger and brushing my teeth with it. I also splashed some water on my face, scrubbing rigorously at my eyes to remove the eyeshadow I applied before going to the bar last night. Opening my eyes, I took a close look at myself on the mirror hanging above the sink. My eyes held a spark in them, my cheeks tinged pink, and my lips automatically curled into a slight smile. I was happy, undeniably and irrevocably happy. And it might have a lot to do with the man waiting for me on the other side of the door.

With a last sweep of my fingers through my messy hair, I slowly opened the door, peeking around the edges for Edward. I was met with an empty bed, the sheets tangled together in the middle. I closed the door behind me while I glanced around the room, looking for my discarded clothing and bag. I found my belongings on the chair at the corner, my dress neatly folded with my bag sitting on top of it. I figured Edward must have picked up after me since I don't remember folding my dress. The wave of embarrassment overshadowed my gratefulness, my cheeks reddening again. Shaking my head, I went out to the hallway to search for Edward. The tantalizing aroma of fresh coffee led me to the kitchen, the sight of Edward with an apron tied around his waist welcoming me.

I stood against the doorway for a while, simply savoring the domestic sight in front of me. Edward has his back turned to me, his hands and arms busy as he cooked our breakfast. He was humming lowly to himself, the tune unfamiliar yet hauntingly recognizable. My brows furrowed as I racked my mind to place where I heard it, but ultimately, I came up blank. Edward turned just in time as a smile took over my face, his answering grin making the butterflies in my stomach to run rampant.

"Good morning," he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Good morning, Edward," I echoed, my grin stretching as wide as possible, nearly reaching my ears.

We stood in the kitchen for a few seconds, just smiling wide at each other until the moment was broken by the smell of something burning wafting from the stove behind Edward.

"Shit!"

Quickly, and gracefully, Edward turned his attention back to the stove, turning it off before moving the charred pan to the sink. I watched as he moved efficiently in the kitchen; it was evident that Edward cooks based on how at ease he seemed as he maneuvered between counters. Soon, a heaping plate of bacon and eggs was placed in front of me, a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee on my right. Edward was watching me intently as I took a bite, his eyes following the movements of my mouth.

"This is good," I assured him between a mouthful.

He grinned wide before he dove right in, strips of bacon disappearing from his plate in a maddening pace. I watched Edward as he consumed insurmountable amounts of food, the coffee cup at my lips hiding my smile. Seeing him like this, it amazes me how Professor Cullen was nowhere to be found. Not to say that he's strict or anything inside the classroom, but there was always a rigid formality in his actions whenever he's delivering a lecture. But now, right in this moment, Edward was simply a man who was enjoying his breakfast. He seemed to be younger, lighter, and I don't know if the credit was all due to bacon and eggs or something different altogether, but I _like_ him more this way. _And I liked Professor Cullen a whole lot back then_

I was broken out my thoughts when Edward looked up at me, his mouth bulging from the excessive amounts of bacon and eggs he shoved in there. He was trying his hardest to give me a smile but it flattened into a firm line when he eyed the empty plate in front of me. I waited as he chewed on his food, his expression thoughtful as he gazed at me.

"You're done eating?"

"Yeah," I nodded. Moving my eyes over to the empty plate with grease stains, I can't help but smile. "It was good, though."

"Thanks," Edward said, swallowing the food in his mouth. "Are you sure you don't want anything else? Juice? Coffee?"

"I'm fine, really," I assured him, giving a small smile. I watched as he shoveled more food in his mouth, making me wonder where it would all go. Edward's lean muscles indicate that I won't find a beer belly or anything other than muscles under his shirt.

The thought made my mouth go dry. I quickly averted my eyes as I found myself staring hard at his abdominal area, like if I had tried harder, the shirt would melt and reveal his stomach. I squirmed a little in my seat as the blush on my cheeks intensified, making me all hot and bothered. I looked around the room, staring at nothing in particular just so I wouldn't meet Edward's curious gaze.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice oozing genuine concern.

"Yes," nodding my head steadily, I met his eyes and smiled. "I'm fine, _really_ fine."

"Are you sure?" he prodded. "You look a little…" _Aroused? Intense? Turned on?_ "Out of it?"

"Oh," I mumbled, looking down on my plate to hide the quick rush of blood to my cheeks. "I'm fi-"

"Let me guess," he interrupted, " _Fine_? Was that your favorite word, Miss Swan?"

I scowled at him, relaying my displeasure at his teasing. I mean, it wasn't my fault that he has the power to render me speechless!

"Yes, I'm _fine_ ," I quipped, sniffing at him haughtily. "Why don't you go finish your breakfast, you oaf."

"Oh, you wound me," he said, his right hand clutching at his chest while the other shoved another forkful of bacon into his mouth. I twitched my nose in mock disgust, eyeing the grease stains by the corner of his mouth. He caught my gaze, his tongue coming out to lick at the corner of his mouth.

"Disgusting," I muttered, loud enough for Edward to hear. He guffawed at me, almost choking on his own tongue as he continued laughing. I pushed his cup towards his direction, indicating that he should take a sip before he collapsed from lack of oxygen. I'm not sure if my Heimlich would be able to save him.

I watched Edward as he cleaned his plate, occasionally taking a sip from my own cup as my eyes moved all over his form. The muscles on his arms captivated me whenever he brought his fork to his mouth, the movement causing a rippling effect under his skin. I think Edward knew what caught my attention as he started to give me a show; moving his arms leisurely, flexing as he brought another piece of egg to his mouth. I couldn't snap out of my trance even if I wanted to, my eyes steadily watching every movement and my mouth opening slightly in time with his.

I must have looked like an idiot since from my periphery, I could see the rest of Edward's body shaking. I quickly looked up to his face and saw him trying to hold in his laughter. His lips were pressed tightly together, his eyes crinkling at the corners. There was a distinct red tint to his cheeks and snorts were coming out of his nose as he struggled to keep in the guffaw that was about to come out.

"That wasn't very subtle, Bella," he chided in between chuckles.

"What are you- _ugh_ ," I wanted to bury my face in my hands. Edward was full-blown laughing now, his chortles annoying the hell out of me.

"You like what you see, Bella?" he asked, maybe rhetorically. His chuckles were making his shoulders shake so much, I was concerned for a second that he might fall off his chair.

"No," I huffed, trying to level him with my stare.

"Oh, really?" he coaxed, his eyes shining with mirth. "So, you weren't checking me out just a minute ago?"

"No," I said, as if the idea itself was revolting. "I think I actually prefer _Jacob's_ bicep to yours."

This stopped his laughing fit, his demeanor changing instantly.

"What did you just say?" he asked, standing from his chair.

"I said, Jacob's muscles are _bigger_ than yours."

"Uh huh," Edward hummed, rounding the table as he headed to my side. "And you liked them better?"

"Yes," I said, hiding the smile forming on my lips.

Edward was now standing in front of me, his hands poised to settle on my shoulders. "Are you sure?"

"Ye-"

I didn't have time to answer since Edward has decided that he's going to torture me instead. I was gasping for breath as he tickled my sides, tears forming in my eyes as I struggled against his fingers. I started kicking to get away, but he pinned my arms behind me, his fingers relentless as his fingers continued their torture. My stomach hurts from laughing too much, my lungs gasping for breath. I tried to squirm away as much as I could, but my legs must have kicked at the table instead, forcing us to stumble to the floor. In the blink of an eye, Edward had managed to break _my_ fall, using his body as a cushion to lessen the impact on mine. We were lying in the middle of his kitchen, his body on top of mine, our chests pressed tightly together.

Still gasping for breath, we eyed each other closely, my arms pinned above my head as Edward held both of my hands in his large one. His other hand was resting on my hip, his fingers lingering on the sliver of skin there. Edward pressed his forehead closer, his nose brushing against mine as his warm breath washed over my face. Our eyelashes were almost tangled together with how close our faces were.

"Are you okay?" he breathed out lowly.

"Yeah," I told him, my upper lip brushing against his mouth as I answered.

Edward stared into my eyes intently, and I noticed how his green orbs dilated. Slowly, he pressed a soft firm kiss on my lips, backing slightly away to see my reaction. I smiled a little at him before I raised my head to capture his bottom lip with mine. My hands wove into his soft hair as a moan escaped my throat. Edward's hold on my hip tightened, his other hand started its ascend to my waist, his fingers grasping the fabric of my shirt tightly. I briefly detached my lips from his, gasping for breath before I moved to trail kisses along his neck. Edward was breathing hard against my ear, his every puff of warm breath sending shivers down my arms. I continued to drop kisses along his neck until my lips met the rough surface of his sharp jaw. The feel of his beard sent a tickling sensation across my lips, making them tingle as I moved along until I met the corner of his mouth. Edward turned his head then, catching my lips in a searing kiss that I could feel from the tips of my toes to the top of my head.

My hands that were previously on his neck moved to his back, clutching at the material of his shirt. His tongue licked at my bottom lip slowly, asking for entrance which I obliged him willingly. Without my consent, my legs moved to wrap around Edward's waist, bringing his hips pressed against mine. He groaned at the action, the hand on my shirt tightening before he pulled it away. I was about to demand that he bring it back to where it was when I felt the unmistakable feel of his hand touching the skin of my back. I jumped at the contact, unconsciously thrusting my hips against his. The feel of his arousal sent my mind into overdrive, pulling a deep long moan from my throat.

"Bella," Edward growled, his lips moving to my jaw. "Please, stop. I think we should stop."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I think we should stop," he said, clenching his eyes shut.

"What? Why?" pulling back, I placed my hands on either side of his handsome face, willing him to look at me.

Edward slowly opened his eyes, his breath coming out in pants as he looked at me intently. "Don't you think it's too soon?"

I remained silent, my mind mulling over his question. _Too soon_? I might have agreed, if my mind wasn't lacking oxygen at the moment.

"You think that?" I asked him, moving my eyes all over his plump lips.

Edward hesitated, closing his eyes again before nodding, "Yes."

" _Really_?"

"Bella," he started slowly, "We haven't even gone out on one date."

"So?" quirking an eyebrow, I stared hard at him, my mouth gaping.

" _So_?" Edward frowned, his eyes widening slightly. Disbelief was apparent in his voice. "Bella! You deserve better than that, better than _this_."

"But I've known you for years," I whispered, looking into his eyes.

"As your _professor_ ," Edward reminded me.

"It's the same, anyway," I mumbled. I slowly raised my hand to run it across his forehead but Edward caught it before it made contact. Instead of letting my hand run along his skin, he gently tugged it until he could press a kiss on my knuckles.

"Bella, it's not," he said quietly, his voice muffled by my hand. "I was your professor and you were my student when we first met. There are a lot of things that we don't know about each other because of that situation."

"But-"

"No buts," he interjected. "We should get to know each other first, as _equals_ , before taking that next step."

Huffing, I softly pushed against his chest until he took the hint and sat up. I let him gently tug on my arm until I was sitting beside him, our backs against the table.

"We've known each other for _years_ ," I mumbled, feeling reprimanded.

"As I've said, it's not enough," he reasoned, leveling me with his stare. I childishly turned my head away from him, jutting my chin out as an act of indignance.

"But's it's going to take us years!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in annoyance.

"Bella," he chuckled, pissing me off. "It's not going to take years."

"Yes, it would," I muttered petulantly.

"Bella, _no_ ," Edward insisted, his lips twitching as he tried to fight off a smile. "Maybe weeks or a few months, but honestly, it wouldn't take us a year to get to know each other better."

Resigned, I sighed deeply. "I know."

"Then why are you fighting me on this?" he asked, grasping my hand tightly in his.

"I…" trailing off, I was undecided. I wasn't sure if I could tell Edward why I wanted to do this now, regardless of his reasonable excuse.

"You can tell me anything," he softly cajoled, squeezing my hand.

"What if you change your mind?" I asked him, my frantic eyes settling on his face. "What if you decide to come back to Chicago?"

Edward remained silent for a while, making my heart beat wildly in my chest. I was afraid of him admitting that he might change his mind someday.

"You had a life in Chicago," I whispered. "Your family, friends. You had a job there, a fiancée to get back to."

"I wouldn't come back to Chicago for Kate," he told me in a firm voice. "No matter what, Bella, trust me, that part of my life is over now."

I simply nodded at him, lost for words. It seems that no matter how much I want to live in the moment, to enjoy the time I now have with Edward, my insecurities would always linger in the back of my mind. Hearing him say that he's sure about his relationship with Kate being over, it lessened the heaviness in my chest, but not obliterating it completely.

I looked down at our joined hands, the sight tugging at my heart.

"Bella, trust me," Edward whispered before placing a kiss against my temple.

Smiling despite myself, I turned to face him. Edward grasped my chin in his hand as he placed a soft kiss on my lips.

"Okay."

 _ **AN: Thoughts?**_

 _ **Thank you for reading!**_ __


	10. Chapter 10

_**This chapter is unbeta'd**_

 _ **November 2014**_

Weeks quickly passed by after that incident at the coffee shop. Professor Cullen never asked me for coffee again outside of the school premises. Instead, he'd taken to occasionally ushering me to the students' lounge after class. Sometimes, he'd offer to tutor me especially when he noticed that my mind was drifting earlier in class, and other times, we'd just sit across each other and chat. I learned a lot about him during those talks; he shared about his life in Chicago, but curiously enough, he didn't delve into his personal matters. And I didn't ask because I didn't want to appear intrusive. Regardless of how my feelings run for the professor, I wouldn't force him to share pieces of his life that he wasn't willingly giving away.

"Professor Cullen's staring at you again," Jake whispered inconspicuously, his voice drowned out by the professor's voice.

Looking up from my notes, my eyes flew to Professor Cullen's direction and caught his gaze, before I looked to Jacob. "No, he's not."

"Yes, he is," Jake scoffed, his gaze intent on my face, "And it's creepy."

"What? That's ridiculous," shaking my head, I focused my attention back to the lecture. I let my hair fall between us to create a curtain of brown hair. It wouldn't do me any good if Jake would notice the small smile I was trying to fight off my lips.

"He's always staring at you during his lectures. And I'm sure all the other students notice it too," Jake continued his tirade. "And it's really creepy, like he's at least a decade older than us and he's got massive fucking crush on you-"

"Jake!" interjecting, I turned in my seat to face him. "Stop. You're being absurd."

"But, Bells— "

"Drop it," I hissed, my eyes pointedly looking at him. "You will not say another word about this, okay?"

"I was just trying to look out for you," he mumbled, having the gall to look ashamed.

"Are we clear on that?"

"Yeah," he acquiesced rather sullenly. "But honestly, Bells, be wary of Professor-"

"Mr. Black," the professor's voice boomed around the room, "What do all the waves in the electromagnetic spectrum have in common?"

Every head turned to look at the back of the room, pinning Jacob in his seat. From the corner of my eye, I could see Professor Cullen slowly approaching us, his eyebrow quirked and his lips set in a firm line. I lowered my head slowly, avoiding the professor's gaze as he stood in front of us. Jacob was still sitting beside me, immobile, as his brows were pinched into a frown. I don't know if he's thinking or if he's just pissed that the professor brought the whole class' attention to him.

"I asked you a question, Mr. Black," Professor Cullen said in a low voice. I watched as his feet moved until he was standing directly in my line of vision. I resisted the urge to raise my head and meet his gaze.

There was a beat of silence around the room, almost every student waiting with bated breath for Jacob to answer. Slowly, I moved my eyes to look at Professor Cullen. He was staring at Jacob, the challenge deeply etched on his face. His gaze flickered towards my direction briefly before returning his eyes to Jake.

"Miss Swan?" he called out without looking at me. "Would you like to help a _friend_?"

Gulping down the nerves, I raised my head higher, looking straight at Professor Cullen. He stared unabashedly at me, the green of his eyes distracting me momentarily.

"They could all travel at the speed of light, sir," I said in a clear voice.

"Good," Professor Cullen nodded, "And these waves could also travel through empty spaces. Amplitude, meaning that of distance, or height, from the middle of an electromagnetic wave to its maximum displacement, is also a property which is common to all electromagnetic waves."

The murmurs in class started to grow again, heads turning to follow the professor's movement as he walked towards the podium. From my periphery, I could see Jake shaking off his shock, his head turning to lean into my personal space again.

"I told you he was watching you," he whispered harshly.

"Anything to add, Mr. Black?" Professor Cullen asked loudly from his podium, his eyes still trained on the papers he held in his hands. The other students' heads swiveled again to gape at Jacob, their expressions ranging from shock to disbelief.

I guess they couldn't also believe how Professor Cullen was obviously picking on Jake today.

"No, sir," Jake mumbled glumly beside me.

Jake huffed quietly before he settled back in his seat, his attention focused now on taking notes. The lecture went on without any more incidents. Professor Cullen was obviously in his element, his voice strong and clear, his hands steady as he discussed the subject matter. The rest of the class was also paying close attention to the lecture, the sound of pens scratching across papers was the only noise that could be heard inside the room apart from the professor's voice.

As the ringing of the bell reverberated throughout the classroom, the other students snapped out of their limbos and began shoving notebooks and pens inside their bags. I remained seated, holding a pen in my right hand while the other hand was idly tracing the spiral spine of my notebook. From the corner of my eye, I could see Jake hastily packing up his things, his movements brash and a bit twitchy. My eyes automatically moved across the room to find Professor Cullen, watching him as he slowly retreated to his podium. He was calmer and more graceful in his packing, his slender fingers wrapping around pens and books as if he were caressing them. The stuttering of my breath upon this vision was mildly embarrassing. Professor Cullen looked up at the sound and our eyes met briefly, a breathtaking smile erupting on my lips while Professor Cullen tried to fight off a grin, and failed.

I averted my gaze as Jake's shuffles became louder. I looked to my right and met Jake's accusing glare. His stare was steely as he moved his eyes in the distance between me and Professor Cullen. Clearing my throat, I lowered my head slightly to avoid his judgement. I pretended to be busy with the notebook I have in my hand, slowly closing it before putting it inside my bag. Jake was still fuming beside me, no doubt seething over the brief exchange he caught between the professor and me. I tried to ignore him as much as I could, but my effort was futile as he was almost blowing steam through his nose as he continued to glare in my direction.

"What?" I asked without turning my head to him, irritation evident in my tone.

"What the fuck is going on between you two?" Jake hissed under his breath, his fists clenching tightly on his lap.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't act dumb with me, Bella," he said condescendingly. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Narrowing my eyes, I looked at him in disbelief. "It's called being polite, _Jacob_. You should try it sometimes."

"That's not it and we both know it, Bella," he grumbled, leaning closer to me, "He's probably fucking perving-"

"Is there a problem, Miss Swan?"

We were startled out of our staring match when Professor Cullen's voice broke through the room. I quickly turned my head to see Professor Cullen standing a few feet from where were still seated, his eyes intently moving between me and Jake. His mouth was set into a firm line as his eyes roved all over Jake's tense form, his gaze lingering on Jake's clenched fists.

"None, sir," I whispered, throwing a quick glance at Jake's face. He was full-on scowling, the deep lines looking ridiculous on his face.

"Mr. Black?" quirking an eyebrow, Professor Cullen turned his full attention to Jake.

"Everything's fine, sir. Bella and I were just talking," he muttered petulantly.

I wanted to smack him on his head, or maybe elbow him in the ribs. The few seconds he didn't speak could have probably given me an aneurysm.

"Good," nodding, Professor Cullen straightened his stance, his eyes still trained on Jake. "Well, I guess I'll see you both next week."

"Yeah," Jake mumbled as Professor Cullen walked back to the front of the room.

I remained seated as Jake stood from his seat. He retrieved his backpack from the floor and heaved it up on his shoulder. Turning to look at me, a frown blossomed on his face as he saw me still perched in the same spot.

"Uhm, you go first, Jake," I whispered, not meeting his eyes. "I have to talk to Professor Cullen about something."

"About what?" he insisted, moving to sit again.

Before his ass could touch the desk's surface, I shoved on his back, sending him towards the aisle.

"I'll meet you later, okay?" I tilted my head towards the door, silently telling him to leave.

Obviously, Jake could _not_ take the hint.

"I'll stay," he mumbled, replacing his bag on the floor.

"I swear to God, Jacob," I threatened under my breath, "If your ass won't leave this room…"

"Fine," he huffed out, snatching his bag again.

Jake moved quickly towards the door, his hand brushing against my arm as he moved towards the aisle. I caught Professor Cullen's gaze from across the room, the expression on his face was unreadable. Jake was still slowly clumping down the room with heavy footsteps, irritating me further as he blatantly made his presence known. Professor Cullen and I both watched him as he seemed to move slower and slower as he neared the door, his neck tense as he tried to fight off the urge of turning back around.

Sighing out of relief, I watched as Jake opened the door, his left foot already stepping over the threshold. But, of course, Jake being Jake, he had to be obnoxious.

"Don't forget dinner tonight, Bells," he called out over his shoulder, a cheeky grin plastered on his face, his eyes directly looking at Professor Cullen.

I wanted to punch the smile right off his face, my hand actually itching for the contact. But I held back, sitting on my hand to refrain myself. Instead, I moved my eyes towards Professor Cullen, looking to see his reaction. I was not disappointed when I saw that he was impassive, but his eyes held a bit of what could probably be annoyance in them. His lips quirked as his eyes met mine, his expression softening slightly. We stared at each other for a few seconds, our gazes measuring the other's expressions. I don't know what he saw on my face, but the way that his lips moved to give way to a small smile, I think he liked it. The wide grin etched on my face couldn't be stopped.

"You're dating that _boy_?" Professor Cullen asked, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"No," I scoffed, rolling my eyes at the absurdity of it.

"You sure?"

"Yes," I chuckled. "I'm really, really sure that we're not dating."

"Well, Mr. Black certainly acted the part," Professor Cullen muttered, his eyes moving towards the space Jake recently vacated.

"He's just…" trailing off, I was lost for words. I gestured with my hands, willing the action to elaborate my point. Seeing that it didn't work, I sighed loudly. " _Jake_."

"So, ' _just Jake_ ' then?" he asked, "What does that even mean?"

"He's just a friend. An annoying, persistent friend who doesn't know how to take a hint," I explained, my annoyance apparent.

He didn't comment on it as he leaned back on his table, his legs crossing in front of him. Professor Cullen was the picture of nonchalance.

"Anyway," I said after a beat, "I apologize for the disruption earlier in class. I promise it won't happen again."

"You shouldn't be apologizing, it was Jacob's fault," Professor Cullen said pointedly.

Briefly, I wonder if he heard what bullshit Jake was spewing earlier. I blushed at the thought that he might have been privy to it. I peeked at him from under my lashes, trying to determine the stern look on his face.

"And you don't like him _that_ way?" Professor Cullen asked after a beat of silence. "Jacob?"

"God, no," I scoffed, shaking my head for emphasis, "He's really just a friend, regardless of his insistent requests for a date."

"Buy you're having dinner tonight?" raising an eyebrow, Professor Cullen looked at me quizzically.

"It's a group study thing," I defended, "Jake's just being an ass by making it sound like a date."

"Oh," he mumbled quietly. Professor Cullen tore his gaze away from mine and focused his attention on a loose thread on his pants.

I stood slowly from my seat, my eyes still trained on Professor Cullen. Reaching down, I retrieved my bag from the floor and walked towards the professor's table. With his head turned down, I was allowed a brief moment to stare at him. Upon closer look, and with a little help from the light shining through the windows, I noticed how the professor's bronze hair wasn't really just bronze. It has splashes of blonde and brown thrown into the chaos of his hair, creating a crazy messy halo atop his head. It's crazy how I've just noticed these little things about him, especially given the time I have allotted to staring at him during and after classes.

"Besides, there's someone else I have my eyes on," I mumbled lowly, my eyes trained on my shoes.

"Come again?" Professor Cullen asked, his brows furrowing in concentration.

"What?" feigning nonchalance, my heart thundered wildly in my chest. I knew that the blush on my cheeks was rivaling that of a tomato.

"You said something," he prodded, his gaze pinning me in place.

"I didn't," I insisted, clutching the straps of my bag tightly in my fists. "You must have been hearing things."

Professor Cullen levelled me with a challenging look, but he didn't prod any further. I breathed a sigh of relief at this while I internally berated myself for opening my big damn mouth.

I don't know what came over me, to give a hint that there's someone else I'm attracted to. I'm pretty sure that with my blushing cheeks and tendency to fumble in front of him, Professor Cullen wouldn't have a hard time figuring out who I'm crushing on. And it's not like anything was going to happen between us, anyway.

Mildly anxious and a whole lot awkward, I tried to walk past Professor Cullen but his hand holding onto my arm stopped me in my tracks. I tried to reign in the sparks going off under my skin, but they went off anyway. I think this was the first time Professor Cullen and I had some skin to skin contact. The blush blooming on my face can't be helped. I slowly raised my head to look into his eyes, but he already beat me to it. Professor Cullen was staring intently at my face, his green eyes almost boring a hole into my soul.

"What?" I asked timidly, averting my eyes as he continued to unabashedly.

Professor Cullen opened his mouth a few times, but no sound would come out. I waited patiently, watching his face the whole time. He looked undecided, as if he's warring with himself. I don't know what to make of it, the way the creases deepened on his forehead, his lips getting thinner and thinner as he stayed inside his head. His jaw was clenching and unclenching periodically, the muscles almost bulging out from the pressure. Professor Cullen's grip on my arm tightened significantly, but not enough to cause pain.

I tried to relax my stance as much as possible, but with the way he's holding me, I was left in an awkward position. I watched the conflict playing in his eyes, the emotions rapidly flickering in them. I could tell that Professor Cullen wanted to tell me something, but it was quite obvious that he wasn't sure about it. Or maybe he wasn't sure about _me_. I tensed at the thought and Professor Cullen flexed his fingers around my arm. I met his gaze, with a bit of hesitation on my part, and he stared at me as if it was the first time he has ever seen my face. The expression on his face was asking me to understand whatever it may be, and I wanted to give him my assent, but I can't, not when there was no guarantee between us.

"I just want to say that," gulping, Professor Cullen looked down, "Your midterms are coming up, do you need some help?"

 _What?_

Confused, I frowned at him, trying to figure out what the hell happened. In a span of a few seconds, he was _Professor Cullen_ again, the unattainable professor. He quickly let go of my arm, making me stumble a bit as I tried to situate myself. Professor Cullen took a step back, crossing his arms across his chest. He looked at me in contempt, his eyes holding a distant look in them. I felt my heart sinking as I realized that he was distancing himself away from me, for whatever reason. I wanted to ask him what changed in the few seconds of silence that descended between us, but it wasn't my place.

Resolved, I stepped away from him, expanding the distance that stretched between us. I saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but it was gone just as fast as it appeared. It felt like _our_ string had been pulled beyond its capacity, forcing us to snap the connection rather than to try harder to stretch it beyond what it could take. Not moving my gaze away from his face, I let myself take him in. My eyes moved all over his high cheekbones, his chiseled jawline, to the bump on the bridge of his nose, and lastly, I let myself get lost in his dazzling green eyes. The fire burning in them momentarily pinned me to where I was standing. His stare was unyielding and unapologetic. This time, I truly knew how someone could get lost in one's gaze.

"I think _we_ could handle it, but thanks for the offer," I said timidly, my gaze faltering.

"We? As in with Jacob?" he asked, a hint of something, maybe irritation, coloring his tone.

I looked up at this, my eyes widening slightly at his flared nostrils and the red tint on his cheeks. "Yes, but it's not like that."

Professor Cullen hummed, his eyebrow raising in question. I refused to justify myself to him. I realized that if I couldn't pry answers from him, then neither could he. We don't have any obligations to each other, regardless of how much I want him.

 _Let him think whatever he wants,_ I thought to myself wryly. I already gave him my piece, it's up to him if he wanted to believe me or not.

I let out a deep breath and took another step back. Professor Cullen followed my every movement with his eyes, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides. I waited for him to say something, _anything_ , but when he remained where he was, still perched on atop his table, I shook my head, at myself and at him. It was ridiculous how I keep on waiting for him to do something, for him to give an indication that maybe, _just maybe_ , there could be something more. But I guess everything that happened between us these past few weeks meant nothing to him. For a moment, I thought that we could go further once this term ended, but I was just way over in my head.

One more step and I'd be over by the door, leaving Professor Cullen behind. When I was met with nothing but silence, I turned my back to him and took the final step.

"Good bye, Professor," I called over my shoulder.

He didn't say a word, but I could feel the intensity of his green eyes on my back.

 _ **AN: I'm sorry for the late update!**_

 _ **Well, Professor Cullen was quite obvious in this one, right?**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**December 2016**_

One week before Christmas.

It was exactly a week before the busiest holiday of the year when Alice called me to meet up with her. We haven't seen each other in months because of our busy work schedules, her handling her own boutique while I was doing my thing, monitoring network computers and shit. So of course, I agreed when she insisted that we meet up at this up-and-coming club. I knew her since I was a freshman in college; we shared some classes, but I don't think she's ever had Edward as her professor. Thinking back, I'm kind of glad that she didn't, and only because I don't want her teasing me every damn day about it. And it's not like she didn't know about my huge crush on him, anyway. Having her in my class under Professor Cullen would have been hell back then. I think my face would probably be carrying a permanent blush if that were the case.

Sitting back, I watched from the huge window as Alice navigated her way through the crowd, her arms shrouded by multiple shopping bags.

 _Now I have to buy Edward a gift,_ I thought to myself, silently thanking Alice as she posed me the reminder without even knowing about it.

She was such a tiny thing that the people she was bumping into as she made her way through the restaurant couldn't complain. Her face wore a big smile that could light up the whole damn building. I shifted slightly in my seat as Alice approached, closely missing the waiter's head on her way.

"Hi!" Alice buzzed in front of me, her heavy-laden arms reaching out to wrap around my neck.

"Alice," I muffled against a paper bag that was pressed against my face.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry I didn't show up at the club the other night!" she exclaimed, releasing me as she settled in the seat across the table, "I was held up at work, and I couldn't reach you! The signal must have sucked at that place."

"That's fine," I told her, smiling coyly as she looked at me in amusement.

"Let me make it up to you, okay? We'll go out this Friday!" she said, nodding her head at me.

"Yeah, about that," I started, reaching for my glass of water, "I'm kind of busy this Friday…"

"Since when?" she quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Since that night you stood me up," I teased, winking at her to let her know that I was joking.

"That's why we'll go out this Friday, Bella," Alice told me in a tone as if she was speaking to a child.

"Yeah, I can't," I said, taking a sip of water before replacing it back to the table, "I have plans."

Alice looked at me steadily, her eyes scrutinizing every detail. I let my face be as expressionless as possible, lest I give myself away. But with Alice, it's always a moot point to hide things from her. She just knows about it, no matter what.

"Bella Swan," she gasped, her hand going to her heart, "Did you pick up someone from the club?"

 _Did I? Or was it the other way around?_

"I wouldn't say I picked up someone," I scrunched up my face, the idea of _me_ picking up Edward leaving a bad taste in my mouth. It was more than that, _he_ was more than that.

"Oh my God! You did!" Several other patrons turned to look at us at Alice's outburst, and of course, my cheeks warmed at the attention.

"Alice," I hissed, leaning forward to grab her attention. "Lower your voice, goddammit."

"Okay, I'm sorry," she said, clearing her throat a little. "So, will you tell me his name? Was he hot?"

I slowly leaned back in my seat, watching the eager look an Alice's face. I basked in the moment for a little while, letting the exhilaration wash over me again. I still couldn't believe that Edward and I were reconnected after all this time.

"Well, he's extremely hot," I started, smirking at the look of joy on Alice's face. "And he's nice, really polite. He's a gentleman, Alice."

"Good," she murmured, "That's good, Bella. But what's his name? I'm dying here!"

I relaxed a little in my seat, a huge grin settling over my lips. "Edward Cullen."

"Edward Cullen," she nodded, her face impassive. I watched for a few more seconds as realization seemed to set in. "Holy shit!"

I laughed at her reaction, garnering us a few more stares.

"Bella! Did you mean _Edward Cullen_? As in Professor Edward fucking Cullen?" she shouted, her eyes going wide as she stared at me.

"Alice, I don't think the cook in the kitchen heard you," I chided, still chuckling under my breath.

"Bella, holy fuck! You had the biggest crush on him!"

"I know," I said, raising an eyebrow, "And the whole restaurant now knows too, Alice."

"I don't care. This is huge!" she exclaimed, flailing her arms around. "How? Where did you see him? Was he at the club too?"

I laughed again at her exuberance, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. One less approval I need to worry about, I guess. Although, from the very start, I knew Alice would be excited for me.

"He was at the club too, and he approached me," I said after a few seconds. "My God, Alice, you don't know how surprised I was when I heard his voice."

"Oh, I can imagine," she grinned at me.

"We talked, a lot, and when he took me home— "

"What!"

"Calm down, Alice, jeez," I huffed, "He took me home because it was late, and when we got to his apartment, he didn't even try anything. I told you, he was a gentleman."

"Okay," nodding, she waved her hand at me, "I'm sorry, please proceed."

"So, when we got to his place, we talked some more, and Alice, he wants the same thing," I swooned a little, feeling giddy at the memory. "He said he wants to try and see where this thing between us would go."

"It's about time," she told me, a huge smile on her face.

"I know," I agreed, smiling widely at her. "But the timing's perfect now, Alice."

"Exactly," she nodded. "And he's perfect?"

"He is," the dreamy look on my face must have looked comical, but I don't care. I'm fucking ecstatic to share this with my best friend.

"You know what this means, right?" Alice asked me, a silly smile taking brimming over the surface.

"What exactly does this mean?" quirking an eyebrow, I waited for Alice to continue.

"I have to meet him! Soon!" she cried out, jumping in her seat.

Oh.

 _Oh_.

"Uhm, Al," not knowing how to proceed, I waited for her to stop dancing in her seat. "I don't think-"

"Oh, hells no, Isabella Swan," she stopped and turned her full attention to me, "I. Have. To. Meet. Him. Pronto!"

"I'm not sure we're ready for that yet," I muttered lowly, cringing as a shriek tore from Alice's lips.

"Professor Cullen's not a dirty secret, is he?" Alice prodded, her eyes getting impossibly wider. I'm a bit scared that her eyeballs would pop out of their sockets.

" _Edward_ ," I reminded her, "Is not my dirty secret. I just think that it's too early to be meeting the best friend at this point."

Alice rolled her eyes, her arms crossing over her chest as she huffed at me. "Fine, be that way. I'll break you soon enough."

"Alice," I pleaded, knowing that her words held the truth in them.

"Are you embarrassed of him?" she continued, her eyes imploring. "Or, was it the other way around? Bella!"

"No one's embarrassed of anyone! Calm down, Alice," I told her, cutting my eyes to the other tables in the restaurant.

A throat clearing to my right snapped our heads toward its source. A young man, who looked ridiculously nervous, was standing there, staring at us. He was wringing his hands in front of him, a notepad and pen clutched tightly in his grasp. I'd be nervous too if I had to approach an excited-looking Alice.

"Yes?" Alice asked, quirking an eyebrow towards the waiter's direction.

"Uhm, would you like to see our menu?" gulping down loudly, he looked at me, an almost pleading look on his face.

I shrugged at him in apology, titling my head towards Alice a little.

 _Sorry,_ I mouthed at him. His face deflated, turning to look back at Alice.

"Of course, we'd like to see the menu," she said in a high-pitched voice. From the corner of my eye, I could see the waiter cringing slightly. I ducked my head down to hide a smile.

With trembling fingers, the waiter handed us the menus, his eyes looking everywhere but us. Alice quickly diverted her attention to the menu handed to her, her eyes moving over each item with much gusto.

"Thanks," I mumbled before perusing the menu.

Alice was firing off questions about _every_ menu item, and frankly, I was relieved. Her attention wasn't on me and the new _improvement_ in my life. The waiter, whose name was Seth, wasn't as lucky though. Alice was bombarding him with questions, and from where I'm sitting, I could see that it's taking him a lot of effort to keep up with my energetic friend.

"Alice," I interrupted, reaching across the table to put a hand on her arm, "I know you've been here a lot, why don't you get your usual?"

Seth threw a grateful smile, albeit a little shaky. Poor boy, he must be new.

"Fine," Alice said, rolling her eyes at me. "I'll have the Housemade Ravioli and a half-bottle of Merlot."

Alice raised an eyebrow in question, and I nodded, agreeing with her choice of drink.

"I'll have the Linguine Alle Vongole," I said, watching as Seth quickly wrote down our orders on his notepad.

"Anything else?"

I looked to Alice to see her shaking her head. Turning back to Seth, I smiled at him, "No, that's everything. Thanks."

Seth scurried away from our table without another word, almost bumping against the other patrons in his haste. I looked to Alice as I heard her trying to quell her snickers.

"Alice," I said slowly, levelling her with my stare. "Why was that man scared of you?"

"Oh, it was just a misunderstanding," she said offhandedly, her hands gesturing wildly in the air. "And I may have had a little too much to drink that time."

"Okay, now you have to tell me _that_ story," I told her, propping my arms up at the table.

"Next time," she dismissed. Leaning forward, Alice looked at me with a gleam in her eyes. " _You_ have a better story to tell, missy. And it involves a hot college professor."

"Next time," I mimicked her, which resulted in Alice throwing a balled-up napkin at me.

"Come on, Bella!" Alice huffed, leaning across the table to press her face closer to me, "I'm dying here!"

"Alright, alright," I relented, slumping my shoulders in defeat. "But really, there's not much to tell…"

"I don't care," Alice waved off, "I just want to hear your story. And I want to hear _everything_ , Bella."

"Okay," I swallowed the dryness in my throat. "I was sitting by the bar, you know, waiting for _you_ to come."

"How many times do I have to say— "

"Anyway," I interrupted, a smug smile on my face. "I was minding my own business, occasionally looking towards the door to see if you have arrived, when I heard his voice calling my name. My God, Alice, I can't describe how I felt when I heard him calling me. It was like— "

"Magic?" she supplied, smiling knowingly at me.

"Maybe," I smiled, feeling the butterflies in my stomach erupt from the memory. "So, he was calling my name, and I just knew it. I recognized his voice even before I turned around. It was like _magic_ , as you call it. Regardless of how long I haven't heard his voice, it was like my body still knows him."

"That's perfect," Alice sighed dreamily.

"I know," nodding in agreement, I let myself daydream for a bit.

I think about the weekend we mostly spent together, those incredible and passionate kisses we shared, and especially our understanding that we both knew what we wanted and where we were headed. We wanted the same things and Edward has reassured me time and time again that he won't be coming back to Chicago to Kate or anyone else. It has eased my mind a bit, knowing that I have his word to hold on to. Still, a little insecurity lingers at the back of my mind but I try my hardest to squash it and bury the thought.

"Hello," Alice boomed, waving her hands in front of my face, "Earth to Bella!"

"Oh! Sorry," I blushed at getting caught. "I got lost in my head for a little while back there."

"Obviously," Alice smirked, a teasing gleam shining in her eyes.

I looked at Alice for a moment, a thought jumping around in my head. "Did you know that Edward was in a relationship when he was a professor in U-Dub?"

"What?" Alice asked, shock evident on her face.

"Yeah, he told me that the other night," I continued, "And of course, I asked him about it, about her, and he told me that he won't be coming back to Chicago for her."

"And you believed him?"

"Yeah," I told her, "Of course, I believed him, Alice."

"Okay," she nodded solemnly at me. "I trust your judgement."

"Thank you," I said earnestly, grabbing her hand from across the table. "Ali, it means a lot."

"Don't be so melodramatic!" Alice chided, although she smiled genuinely at me. "I know how you feel about him, and of course I support you, I support _this_."

Alice squeezed my hand tightly and I felt my heart expanding with my love for her. She's truly the greatest friend one could ever ask for. I wouldn't know what I would do if I didn't have her in my life.

"And I can see that he obviously makes you happy," Alice continued, her grin wide. "This early in the relationship and you're already glowing!"

"Oh, I wouldn't call it that," I murmured, "I mean, we haven't talked about it yet, you know."

"You mean you haven't discussed if you're boyfriend and girlfriend? Or just dating?"

I grimaced at the terms _boyfriend_ and _girlfriend_ , feeling like the former wasn't enough to describe what Edward means to me. It was lacking, for a better word. It's just, he's _more_. He's always been _more_.

"I know that we both want the same things but I don't want to jinx it by overthinking," I quipped, watching as Seth appeared at our side with our orders.

He quickly placed our orders on the table, all the while avoiding Alice's gaze. I laughed softly at the exchange, Alice with this baffled look on her face and Seth with his rattling nerves. I stifled another chuckle when Seth almost dropped Alice's plate on her lap, his fingers visibly tightening on the china to hold it steadily. Once everything was settled, Seth quickly took a step back from the table, his body inclining to lean towards my side.

"Thanks," I told him, smiling a little to calm his nerves. He simply nodded before he retreated to the kitchen.

"You should talk to him," Alice said after a moment, her attention on her plate.

"To Seth? Why?" I asked, confusion coloring my tone. I looked back to where he disappeared to, wondering if he stayed back or something.

"You should talk to _Edward_ ," she clarified, following my gaze before moving her eyes back to my face. "You know, clear the air before things progressed."

"But— "

"No buts," Alice quickly interjected. "I know you, Bella, and I know that you'll try to _think_ your way out of this."

"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely curious to know what she thinks I'll do.

"You tend to overthink and doubt yourself. I know that you would probably unconsciously sabotage this, thinking that Edward's better off without you or anything. I won't let you drive him away."

"You don't know if I'd do that," I muttered under my breath, thinking to myself that that's what I'd exactly do.

"Bella, that's what you've done in _every_ relationship you've ever had," Alice reminded me, her fork piercing hard through her pasta.

"I won't do it now," I said, holding Alice's gaze to convince her that I'm telling the truth. "I won't jeopardize my relationship with Edward."

"I know," she reassured me, "But still, I still think that you guys should talk about it. Get it all out in the open so that when you're starting to get serious, you would both know what you are to each other."

"Yeah, you're right," nodding at Alice, I made a note to talk to Edward about our status. "Since when did you become an expert on relationships anyway?"

"Since my best friend met _the one_ ," she teased, laughing at the expression on my face. I'm pretty sure I'm red as a tomato by now.

"Alice!"

"Oh, come on," she cajoled, winking at me, "Don't tell me you haven't thought of it, Bella."

"I haven't," I lied through my teeth, hoping that Alice wouldn't catch on.

"Bella Swan, I know that you've been in love with this guy for _years_ ," she said, the teasing in her voice apparent.

"I wasn't in love with him in college," I countered, willing my blush to abate. "Sure, I had the biggest crush on him, but I wasn't in love."

 _I mean, I think I wasn't in love._

"But you could be," she raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"Yeah," I said softly, nodding slightly in agreement.

When Alice squealed, almost every head in the restaurant turned to look at us. She was jumping in her seat, looking excited as hell.

"Calm down," I hissed under my breath, my eyes solely trained on Alice. I was too embarrassed to look around and meet everyone's eye.

"Okay, okay," Alice said, fanning herself, "I'm calm. But seriously, I have to meet him if you're already in love with the man."

"I'm not in love with him," I insisted, my tone sounding weak. Alice quirked an eyebrow at me and I softened a bit more.

"We'll see," she muttered, going back to her plate to poke on her pasta.

I ignored her silent jabber and focused my attention on my plate. With all the excitement that Alice brought with her I didn't realize that I was starving. I quickly twirled a perfect forkful of my linguine and brought it to my mouth. Flavors exploded in my mouth and I hummed in appreciation. I dug into my meal, occasionally coming up for air or to take a sip of my exquisite wine. Silence has descended on our table, with the sporadic clanking of utensils against china filling the air.

A tiny chirp from my purse caught my attention after a while. I brought out my phone, the screen lighting up to indicate that I received a message. A smile was instantly on my lips when I read whom it came from, and when I opened the message, I think I swooned.

 _ **I can't get you out of my mind.**_

 _ **I can't wait to see u this Friday. – E xx**_

 _ **AN:**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**November 2014**_

The midterms exam for Professor Cullen's Computer Communication and Networks class was exceptionally hard, especially when I spent half of the term daydreaming about the professor. I think I would have failed this class if it weren't for our one-on-one tutorial sessions at the students' lounge or wherever the mention of coffee would take us. Still, I knew that whatever score I'd get form this exam would create a big impact on my class standing, so I hope to all hell that I would pass this test.

I've been sitting in this room for forty-five minutes, yet I've only been through half of the test. Sweat was already dripping down my back from the panic, my brows furrowed in concentration. I heard a sigh coming from my right but I didn't turn to look. Time is precious, and I wouldn't waste it just to check on Jake beside me. The students in front of me were noisily shuffling in their seats and it was distracting. I would have shushed them if I weren't so preoccupied with the items I still haven't answered.

I was bowed down in my seat, my nose practically touching the test paper when I noticed a shadow looming over my form. I looked up without conscious thought and met Professor Cullen's intense gaze. I tried to give him a small smile but I think it came out more as a grimace. His mouth quirked up slightly at the corners before he turned to walk back to the podium. On a normal day, I would have watched him make his way back to the front of the room, watching his ass the whole way. But today was an exception; I quickly turned back to the exam again instead of giving myself some aesthetical motivation. I poured my whole being into the test, and luckily, I was sure of some of my answers. I just hope that it would be enough to give me a passing grade.

Giving myself a small break, I looked up from my paper and immediately met Professor Cullen's eyes. He was leaning against his desk, his ankles crossed in front of him. His whole body was propped up to face in my direction, his fervent gaze locked on my face. I couldn't read the expression on his face, and I'm sure that my confusion was showing. He simply shrugged at me before averting his gaze, his attention focusing on the wall behind my head. I stared at him for a few seconds, trying to figure him out before I went back to my test. The other students around me were focusing on their papers. Well, as much as I could tell, anyway. So, I tried to keep up, my pen almost flying over the paper as I answered in rapid succession. After a few more minutes, the ringing of the bell broke the silence, garnering bursts of groans all throughout the room.

"Wrap it up, guys," Professor Cullen announced from his desk.

A few more sighs were emitted as Professor Cullen stood and started to gather the papers. I quickly scribbled my answers, taking advantage of the few seconds I have before Professor Cullen comes to our aisle as I was seated at the back. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Jake was also furiously writing, his fingers gripping the pen so tightly that I was afraid he'd snap it in half. I think he's still mad at me about the other day, but I didn't really mind, especially when he had stopped bugging me about my supposed feelings for Professor Cullen.

Said professor was already walking down our aisle, his hands full of wrinkled paper. I quietly handed him mine as he stood beside me, his hands outstretched for the others. I took surreptitious glances at him, taking notice of the grim expression on his face. I wonder, for the _nth_ time, what's bothering him. The moment he stepped inside the classroom, his brows were furrowed into a deep frown. Obviously, whatever it was that was on his mind was something important if he's that preoccupied with it. His usually chipper mood was replaced by his quiet demeanor, making him look unapproachable. I don't think I saw him smile today, maybe apart from that glimpse of amusement playing at the corner of his lips earlier.

Professor Cullen was already making his way back to his podium, his steps quick and never faltering. I felt a pang of emptiness in my chest, my hand coming up to rub on the spot. I think it hurt more that he didn't even look at me, compared to the feeling of knowing that I totally tanked this exam. It was stupid to even entertain the idea, but it was the truth. I know that I could come back from a bad grade, but I don't think that the same thing could be applied when it comes to Professor Cullen. With the way that he's acting, it feels like somehow, this was the end.

"Are you ready to go?"

I turned to look at Jake, watching as he shoved his things inside his overstuffed backpack. Gone was the frown that was etched on his face earlier, his easy smile already plastered in its replacement. I couldn't even give him a smile in return; it felt like my face was frozen in cold indifference.

"Yeah," I nodded, turning to stand. I quickly gathered my stuff and put them in my bag, forgoing any semblance of order. I'll get to it when I have the time.

By now, most of the other students were out of the room, scrambling off to celebrate the end of the midterms week. I could already hear some muffled screams from the hallway, some jock whooping as he made his way out of the campus. I took a quick glance around the room, taking note of those who were still lingering. It looks like I'm not the only one who wants to talk to Professor Cullen, although I highly doubt that they have the same agenda as me.

"You go ahead, Jake. I'll catch up with you later," I said over my shoulder, my eyes meeting Jake's dark ones before I quickly averted my gaze.

Professor Cullen didn't look up from his perch on the desk, his head bowed down as he scanned the papers in his hands. I took a deep sigh and walked slowly to the front, the heels of my shoes clicking loudly against the hardwood floors. From where I was standing, I could see Professor Cullen's shoulders tense as I approached. I almost turned around and headed back, but I stood my ground and held my head high.

"Professor Cullen?" I called out as I approached, my steps faltering as he looked up at me.

"Yes, Miss Swan?" he asked, a frown deeply etched on his face. "Was there a problem?"

"Oh, uhm, no," I mumbled, stopping in my tracks.

"Okay," he nodded quickly before turning back to the papers in his hands.

My eyebrows crinkled in confusion as I just stared at Professor Cullen. I don't know where this attitude came from, or what even caused it, and I'm not even sure if it has something to do with me or I was just the lucky person to get its brunt. I stood in front of him for a long while, my feet shuffling in place as I waited for him to look up. The other students have already left the room, even Jacob has deserted the room, although he was standing just outside the door, his form hovering. My mouth opened and closed a few times, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know where to begin. Professor Cullen's blasé reaction was unexpected; his terse treatment rendering me speechless.

I was contemplating to leave the room, to leave Professor Cullen in peace, when he released a deep sigh, his shoulders collapsing against the chair. He looked up at me with a quiet resolve on his face, the frown gone momentarily.

" _Isabella_ , I'm sorry," he said lowly, "I'm just having some personal problems and I took it out on you."

"That's fine," I muttered under my breath, my feet moving unconsciously towards his desk.

"Still, I shouldn't have acted like that."

Looking closely at his face, I could now make out the dark circles under his eyes and the pallid tint of his face. Whatever it was that was bothering Professor Cullen seemed serious. I took another hesitant step until my knees were touching the wood of his desk, my knuckles brushing against the edge of the table.

"Coffee?" I asked, smiling at him a little.

Professor Cullen hesitated, and I felt my heart sinking to my stomach. In all the times one of us would ask for coffee, the other always obliges. Guess this time would be different.

"I don't," he took another deep breath, the papers fluttering slightly as the air brushed against them, "I don't know if I have the time for coffee. I'm sorry."

"That's fine," I reiterated, although there was less enthusiasm in my voice. "Guess we'll go another time."

Professor Cullen gave a brief smile but the spark didn't reach his eyes.

"You know what, maybe we could-"

"Bella!" Jake called, his head poking through the doorway. "Can you hurry up? We have to go meet the guys at the coffee shop in thirty minutes."

I turned to glare at Jake, my eyes turning into tiny slits. I smiled in satisfaction as he cowered back to the hallway.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" I asked, turning to look back to Professor Cullen.

He had his eyes on the doorway, his lips thinning into a grim line. "I won't keep you any longer, it seems like you have plans."

"Jake can go meet his friends by himself," I mumbled, irritated that Jake has ruined another moment between Professor Cullen and me.

"Really, Isabella, if you have other plans, maybe we could have coffee some other time."

"No, really, now's a good time," I insisted, going as far as pressing my lower half against the desk.

"Okay," Professor Cullen smiled, "Just wait for a second, I'll just tidy up the desk."

"Okay," I nodded, turning to look quickly at the doorway. "I'll just…"

"Yeah, go ahead."

I quickly moved towards the door, my bag swinging from my shoulder. Jake looked over to me as soon as he heard me approaching, an easy smile gracing his face as I neared. As I stopped beside him, he swiftly put his arm around my shoulder as if it were a normal occurrence. I scrunched up my face and subtly shook off his heavy arm.

"Okay…" he trailed off, looking confused by my rejection. He placed a hand on my elbow and steered me to the hallway. "Let's go."

"Actually," I shook his hand off my elbow, stopping his steps, "You go ahead and meet the guys. I have to stay behind."

"What for?" he frowned, turning to stand directly in front of me.

"I have to talk to Professor Cullen about something," I told him sternly as I crossed my arms across my chest.

"About what? Bella, we just took the midterms exam," Jake countered, mirroring my actions and crossed his arms in defiance.

"It's for extra credit," I lied, averting my gaze from him and probably giving myself away.

"That's bullshit," he snapped, "You don't need extra credit. I know that you're doing perfectly fine in this class."

"You know what?" I started, my voice raising, "It's none of your business, Jacob."

"Damn right it is," he said, taking a step closer to me. I pressed my back against the wall to create some distance between us.

"Just go to _your_ friends, Jake," I relented, leaning against the wall as my shoulders deflated. "I don't want to have this conversation over and over."

"Fine," he muttered, his eyes still hard but he took a step back and I breathed a little easier.

I closed my eyes as Jake pressed a kiss against my forehead unexpectedly, my breathing shaky as I squeezed my eyelids tight. Soon, his breath wasn't hitting my face and I opened my eyes, catching a glimpse of his retreating form before he turned around the corner. I stood in the hallway for a few seconds, calming my nerves. I was afraid that Professor Cullen saw the interaction between Jake and I and think that there's something more going on. I know that Professor Cullen and I wasn't a possibility but, still, I didn't want him to think that I was dating someone else either. With trembling nerves, I turned around to head back to the room but I stopped cold in my tracks when I met Professor Cullen's unreadable gaze.

"Have you…" I started, my tongue twisting in my mouth as I tried to gather my thoughts. God, I hope he didn't see Jake's stupid display.

"Are you ready to go?" Professor Cullen asked, a bright smile on his face.

Confused, I frowned at him as I wondered where he got his change of demeanor came from. I was getting dizzy from his mood swings, and I intended to tell him that when he suddenly strolled past me and started to walk briskly towards the exit.

"Aren't we going to the lounge?" I called over to Professor Cullen, his form already a few feet ahead of me. I took bigger steps to catch up with him, my little legs stretching as far as they could go.

"I'm thinking this calls for an outing," Professor Cullen said over his shoulder, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smirk.

"What? Where?"

"You know, to that newly opened coffee shop at the end of the street," he said, his smirk now in full effect.

"Why? What's the occasion?" I prodded, staring up at him as we stood face to face within a few feet from the building's exit.

"Nothing," he shrugged nonchalantly, but I caught the look that passed across his face. It sobered up the shine in his eyes and dimmed his smirk.

I frowned up at him, trying to figure him out. His mood swings were giving me a whiplash, making it hard for me to keep up. I could never know what goes on in his mind, his actions always leaving me with more questions than answers. I dutifully trailed behind him as we walked to the coffee shop, with Professor Cullen was occasionally looking over his shoulder to check on me. I kept my head down most of the walk, but I would sometimes raise my head and take look around the buildings around me. As far as I could tell, we were still within the vicinity of the campus, given how we haven't been walking for a long time. Still, the buildings and windows were unfamiliar, although, if I crane my head just a little bit farther to the right, I could catch a glimpse of the campus' entrance.

Crossing a few more streets and turning two more corners, Professor Cullen stopped in front of a beautifully decorated coffee shop. He held the door open for me and as soon as the door opened, my senses were assaulted by the rich aroma of coffee. My eyes quickly scanned the area and a smile tugged involuntarily at my lips when I took notice of the lack of students. Most of the other patrons were dressed in business suits, their briefcases uniformly placed by their feet. Those who were dressed casually weren't staring at us, so I assumed that they did not recognize us, therefore, they weren't students from U-Dub. Professor Cullen gently led me to the counter, his right hand placed lightly on the small of my back.

"What do you want?" he asked, his green eyes trained on me.

I turned to look at the menu overhead, my eyes narrowing a little as I noticed the girl behind the counter blatantly ogling Edward. I surreptitiously glanced at him from the corner of my eye and saw that he didn't seem to notice the girl gaping at him. His eyes were trained on the menu, his face colored in stern concentration.

"What are you getting?" I asked him, stepping closer to his side. I couldn't very well slide an arm around his waist or anything, so I did the next best thing.

He pursed his lips, his brows furrowing before he turned to look back at me. "I love the Mezzo Mezzo here, you?"

I perused the menu once again, my eyes moving all over the board before I looked back at Professor Cullen. "I think I'll get the same, I haven't been here so I really don't know anything about what they serve."

"Okay," nodding, he stepped closer to the counter, his eyes moving over my face before facing the cashier.

"Good afternoon," the girl, whose name was Kate per her nametag, greeted the professor. "What can I get for _you_?"

I hid a scowl at her implication, bubbles of jealousy rising to the surface. I scooted closer to Professor Cullen, my face almost pressing against his back.

"We'll have two of the 16 ounces of the Mezzo Mezzo," he said, turning to look at the pastry shelf beside the counter, "And two slices of the marionberry pie?"

I nodded my agreement to his question, smiling a little for emphasis. Professor Cullen grinned before finishing his order. Kate, the girl at the counter, was giving me an incredulous look and a raised eyebrow. The cluttered wall to my right caught my attention, so I took a step closer to inspect them. The wall was covered in various knickknacks, although most were of movie posters ranging from the '70s to the early '90s. Most of the other patrons were seated at the back of the coffee shop, the tables beside the huge windows unoccupied. Still, I looked around, trying to find an empty table away from the huge windows; I was still feeling a bit paranoid of the other students who might chance upon seeing us.

I noticed a flight of stairs tucked into the corner of the coffee shop, so I turned toward Kate to ask if the second floor has more tables available for customers. She reluctantly said yes, her eyes moving towards the empty table directly in front of the counter.

 _Nice try,_ I thought to myself. I wouldn't give the chance to ogle Professor Cullen as we consume our coffee.

I tapped Professor Cullen on the shoulder, trying to get his attention. "I'm going to get us a table upstairs, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he nodded, facing me fully. "I'll be right over."

I gave Kate one last smirk before I headed towards the second floor. The currency wall décor caught my eye as I turned but I didn't approach it. I think I'll do it the next time Professor Cullen invited me for coffee. I took the stairs one careful step at a time, knowing that my clumsiness was just hovering over the corner. It wouldn't do me any good if I fall and break my neck. Stepping on the second floor, I immediately noticed the patio opening, littered with empty tables and booths. I placed my bag on a table nearest to the patio, my eyes looking around the paintings hanging on the wall. The décor was eccentric yet oddly comforting; the splashes of colors on the canvasses bringing life to the beige walls of the shop.

With my eyes still trained on our table, I stepped into the patio and the rare Seattle sunshine immediately basking my skin in its warm glow. I turned my face towards the sky and closed my eyes, inhaling the crisp air and reveling the quiet reprieve. I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the muscles in my torso give as I pushed and pushed until I could no longer do any more. A tapping on the glass broke my concentration and when I turned, I saw Professor Cullen peering at me from the inside. I gave him a sheepish grin as I walked towards the table, noticing the two mugs of steaming coffee paired with two slices of marionberry pie.

As I neared, I could smell the delicious aroma of the coffee and pie, my stomach rumbling as I realized that I haven't taken my lunch yet. Professor Cullen pulled a chair for me and I thanked him with a small smile. Once I was settled, he walked over to the other side and took a seat across from me. He quietly handed me my mug and my pie, diving into his once he saw me taking a sip of my coffee. We ate in silence for a while, stealing glances at each other and hiding smiles behind the huge coffee mugs.

After we were done eating, we talked about nonsensical stuff. Professor Cullen asked me how I think I fared in the midterm exams, what my plans were for the upcoming Christmas break, and other normal stuff that wouldn't have raised an eyebrow if a passerby would have heard us. Regardless of how much I wanted to do the same, I held my tongue let him take the lead. I didn't know if he would have minded if I asked him the same things.

"Mr. Black mentioned earlier a date," Professor Cullen said after a beat of silence, his eyes looking straight at me.

I quirked an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to finish whatever it was that he wanted to say but when it became obvious that he wanted _me_ to fill in the blanks, my frown deepened as I thought of what he wanted me to say.

"It wasn't a date," I told him, a frown still marring my face, "He just wanted me to meet his stupid friends."

"Oh," realization dawned on his face, the lines on his forehead loosening as he relaxed his jaw. "I'm sorry, Isabella, if this has been a repetitive question for you."

"It's fine," I reassured him, wanting so badly to slide my hand on top of his, "It's better than Jake's persistent asking for dates."

I smiled at him indulgently but he didn't return it. Instead, his eyes grew a bit darker and his expression became morose.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Professor Cullen said, a small smile blooming on the corner of his mouth. "It's just— "

Whatever he was about to say was interrupted by my ringing phone. I smiled at him apologetically as I took it out, the screen flashing my dad's name. I denied the call as I wasn't too worried about the situation. I knew that he was calling to let me know that he's nearing Seattle. He's coming up for his birthday weekend, lugging up my mom and our family dog with him in his cruiser. I looked up to see the resolved look on Professor Cullen's face.

"Sorry about that," I told him, straightening in my seat as I watched him glance at his watch.

"Actually," he gulped, looking out to the patio before redirecting his eyes on me, "Are you ready to go? I have some things I have to finish at the campus."

"Oh," I mumbled, deflating a little. "Yeah, sure."

We quietly stood from the table, respectively reaching for our bags. We silently walked down the flight of stairs and came through the exit, the space between us bathed in awkward silence. I was just about to say my goodbyes to Professor Cullen when he suddenly l grabbed my hand in his. In all the months that we've gone out for coffee, this was the first time he has initiated contact. Sparks were shooting up from where he was touching me, raising goosebumps on my arms.

Exhaling deeply, Professor Cullen clenched his eyes shut before opening them again and looking at me intently. "Good bye, Isabella."

"Yeah, bye," I mumbled under my breath, shock still coursing through my body. "I'll see you next Monday."

At this, Professor Cullen released my hand and I almost propelled forward from the sudden release. He nodded at me once, his face solemn, before turning to the direction of the campus. I stood at the entrance of Café Allegro for a while, my mind blank as I watched his form walk away. My skin was still tingling from his touch and my cheeks were burning. After a while, I shook my head to clear my mind and walked to the direction of my dorm. Once I have calmed my mind, the smile on my face couldn't be deterred.

The weekend flew by before my eyes, my parents taking most of my time and attention as we celebrated my dad's birthday. My mom kept on bugging me about boys while my dad shook his head in the corner, his mustache twitching. On Sunday, I watched as my parents drove away in my dad's cruiser, my mom's head hanging out of the window until they turned around the corner. I went to bed fairly early that night, eager to see Professor Cullen first thing in the morning.

I woke up early the next day, my body almost vibrating in excitement as I took a shower and dressed for the day. The smile on my face couldn't be contained, almost scaring my roommate as she pointed out that it was starting to get creepy. I ignored her teasing and went straight to the campus after breakfast. I probably looked like an idiot as I skipped my way to class, the ringing of the bell overhead adding to my excitement. I didn't know what mood Professor Cullen was in this morning or if he would even acknowledge our small contact last Friday. I figured that it wouldn't have mattered anyway since he always seemed to snap out of his funk after class.

I was just passing through the door when I stopped dead in my tracks. I retreated slowly and looked at the schedule posted beside the door, checking to see if I was in the right room. I was, but it definitely wasn't Professor Cullen standing behind the podium. I eyed the woman warily, wondering if she was lost or if Professor Cullen was sick and needed a substitute. I took my seat at the back of the room; Jake was already there, the smile on his face creating a numb feeling in my gut.

"Where's Professor Cullen?" I asked, my frown deepening as the woman took out her things from her bag. "Who's she?"

"Professor Cullen's gone," Jake said, the grin on his face getting wider. "Resigned from his spot and flew back to wherever he came from or something. She's Professor Denali, his replacement."

"Gone?" my voice was wavering and it felt like I was going to be sick.

"Gone," Jake confirmed, nodding at me.

 _Fuck._

 _Gone. He's gone._

 _ **AN: This is the last of the 2014 chapters.**_

 _ **So, do we want to strangle Professor Cullen or what?**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**December 2016**_

Friday couldn't come fast enough. I was jittery all week, my mind wandering to thoughts of Edward while I was at work. I was sure that my boss would fire me if he would catch me staring at the computer screen one more time. Luckily, it didn't come to that, but it was so, _so_ close. It didn't help that Alice was also pestering me about meeting Edward, since, in her case, she hasn't met him yet even back when we were in college. To say that the week had been stressful would be the understatement of the century. Add to it that I haven't seen Edward since our lazy Sunday morning at his apartment, our busy schedules hindering us from seeing each other.

With a huge sigh, I looked up from my computer monitor and craned my neck. My eyes were terribly sore from the glare of the monitor all week, feeling like my retinas might malfunction if I lay an eye on one more screen. As I close my eyes, the incessant sound of tapping on keyboards invaded my ears. The sound had once brought me calm, but now, it was just adding to my stress. Still, I fought the groan that was coming up my throat. I don't think my coworkers would appreciate it if I expressed my frustration in the workplace. Not having much choice, I opted to just look longingly at the clock displayed on the lower right corner of my computer screen.

 _Sixteen more hours until I get to see Edward again._

Another deep breath escaped through my lips, this time, as an ode to my slightly childish and immature behavior. Here I am, a twenty-something woman acting as if she was still in high school. I don't think I've ever acted this way, even back in college when I had the biggest crush on _Professor_ Cullen. But this time, it seems that I can't help myself. A seemingly irrational part of my mind wouldn't just allow me to be sensible when it comes to Edward Cullen. I resisted the urge to rest my head on my desk and just close my eyes and to let the day pass me by. It was tempting, so, _so_ tempting to just be idle as the world would continue to move on its own axis as I was lost in my own mind, but that wasn't me. I was never one of those who center their world around the person they fell in love with and I wasn't about to start now. I am a strong, independent woman that won't let any man, even when he's _Edward Cullen_ , turn me into a statistic.

Strong-willed and determined, I rose from my perch and squared my shoulders. The muscles on my nape were protesting but I simply rubbed at them as I returned to my work. I prohibited myself to take another glance at the clock lest I spend the rest of my time counting down the hours until I see Edward again. Instead, I fully immersed myself with the code on my computer screen. I didn't pay attention to the quiet chatters going on around me, nor did I look to see if my coworkers were working. I gave my work the full attention it demanded until the office space grew silent as time went by.

Taking a breather, I looked up from my desk to find that most of my coworkers have left for the day. Instinctively, my gaze moved to the clock on the computer screen, confirming that it was indeed time for me to head home. I quickly saved my work and shut down the computer while simultaneously cramming the items I have scattered on the desk inside my bag. I gave my workspace one more glance to check if I've left anything before I stood with my bag perched on my shoulder. I craned my neck to see if anyone else was here but all the cubicles and desks scattered around were empty. Sighing, I turned to my left to head for the door.

I walked along the empty hallway as I headed for the elevator, the heels of my shoes breaking the silence as the clinking echoed against the walls. I thanked whatever higher power there was above us as the elevator quickly went up to our floor. I leaned back against the farthest wall after pressing for the ground floor, my body sagging in relief as the numbers flew by, indicating the descending elevator car. My release of breath was almost palpable as the elevator doors opened slowly, releasing the empty building lobby inch by little inch. After surging through the small space, as I was impatient to let the elevator door open fully, I gave a little wave to the receptionist and security guard that were standing by the reception desk before I walked quickly towards the exit. My heart was pounding in my chest for some inexplicable reason, but I didn't let that deter me.

As I neared the exit, my thoughts drifted back to Edward. I contemplated texting him but I don't want to appear clingy, yet I wanted to at least talk to him, even just through SMS. I was just rounding the corner when I have decided to take out my phone and text him first. Screw all the stereotypes about how the girl shouldn't text the guy first. I wanted to talk to him and I'll find a damn way to make it happen, even when it might lead to breaking the _rules_. My eyes were steadily on my phone that I easily missed the figure standing just outside our building.

"Bella!"

A bit surprised, I quickly turned around to its source. The wide smile that broke across my face couldn't be helped, especially when Edward just looked _that_ good. I subtly brought a hand up to the corner of my mouth to check if I drooled. I was happy to say that my fingertips met dry skin.

Edward was casually leaning against the red brick wall, his ankles crossed in front of him. His hands were hidden behind him, his grin crooked. My feet automatically moved fast towards him, the perma-smile on my face widening further as I neared him. My eyes quickly, and hopefully, subtly, scanned Edward from head to toe, taking notice of his always unruly hair and the way his dark blue polo brought out the light tan of his skin.

"Hi," I said as I approached, my mouth a little dry from the aesthetic he unintentionally gave me. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Edward asked, moving away from the wall to meet me halfway, "I came to see _my_ girl."

My mouth dried as I swooned, my cheeks a blazing red as his words registered in my mind. _My girl_. _Edward's girl_. We weren't official yet or anything, but hearing him say that was definitely one for the books. I grinned broadly at him, my cheeks stretching wide until the muscles in them hurt a little. Edward's answering smile made my heart stutter and my blush to deepen. There were no questions; I was head over heels.

"That's good," I murmured through my smile, closing the tiny distance between us as I settled myself in front of him.

"I'm not ruining any plans, right?"

"The only plans I had for tonight was to go home and plop my ass in front of my TV," I told him honestly.

"Good," Edward grinned, moving to sling his arm across my shoulders. I pressed my body closer to his side, taking in an inconspicuous sniff of his cologne. I let my head to partially rest against his arm, my left arm wounding around him to clasp his waist.

We started walking towards my apartment in this fashion, the both of us wrapped around each other. The immense comfort of being in Edward's arms was multiplied by the knowledge that he thought of me as his girl. Never had I ever wanted to be anyone's, but with Edward, it felt like I have always belonged _with_ him. We were silent as we walked along Seattle's busy streets, the sounds of rushing cars and loud chatters filling the tiny bubble we have created for ourselves. It wasn't awkward, even when no word was exchanged between us. It felt like we were both content with just being in the other's arms and there was no need to fill the silence with empty chatter.

Soon, we were rounding the corner to my street, my apartment building looming over the shadows as we neared it. Edward have not loosened his hold on my arm and I didn't separate myself from his side during the duration of our walk either. I moved away slightly, but note entirely, to fish my keys out of my handbag. It was awkward at best as my arm nearly disappeared inside my humungous bag. Finally, after scrounging through random stuff and junk, I was able to retrieve my apartment keys. I held it up in triumph and Edward let out a low chuckle at my display. I extracted myself from his warmth with a little trepidation to unlocked the door. I gestured for him to enter first but Edward simply shook his head and held the door open for me.

"Thanks," I mumbled, leading him through the communal hallway heading to the stairs.

Edward quickly grabbed my hand, momentarily halting my steps, before following me as we ascended to the second floor. We were silent as we took the stairs and every time I would look over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of Edward, he always has his eyes on my face, a smile etched on his full lips. It made me feel giddy that it seemed that Edward was as aware of me as I was of him. As we finally stepped onto the building's second floor landing, I quickly scanned the hallway, exhaling a sigh of relief as there were no signs of my creepy neighbor James. Ever since I moved in, he was always roaming around the halls whenever I come home from work and would ask me out every night in which I would always say no to. It wasn't like he was harmful or anything, I just find it creepy that he's always waiting for me to open my door and ask me to dinner even when I have made it abundantly clear that I wasn't interested. I shudder to think of how he would have reacted if he saw me coming home with Edward.

Upon reaching my door, I quickly unlocked it and ushered Edward inside. The dimly lit hallway gave our little bubble an intimate aura, as if we were the only two people walking on this earth. I held Edward's hand tightly as we walked along the hallway, our feet shuffling quietly against the apartment's carpeted floors. I turned on the light in the living room before pulling Edward to sit on the couch.

"What do you like for dinner?" I asked him, turning to face him on the couch.

"What do you suggest?"

"Well," I started, pulling out the takeout menus I have stashed under the coffee table, "Chinese, Thai, or Mexican?"

"I could go for an enchilada right now," Edward hummed, briefly closing his eyes with a huge smile on his face.

"Mexican it is," I muttered, mirroring his smile as I reached for my phone.

After placing our orders, I went to my bedroom to change out of my work clothes. Given that Edward has already seen me wearing only his shirt and a pair of his boxers, I thought that it would be safe to wear some yoga pants and a tank top for tonight. I pulled my loose hair up into a messy bun atop my head and emerged from my room. It seems that our food came while I was changing so I offered to get our drinks from the kitchen instead. Taking out two cans of beer from the chiller, I quickly settled myself beside Edward again.

We quietly ate in silence, although it was occasionally broken by hums and moans derived from our delicious food. The strong smell of Mexican food was wafting throughout the living room, probably clinging to my hair and to our clothes too but I thought it was only a small price to pay for this tiny piece of heaven. Edward was happily wolfing down his enchilada beside me, the moans coming out of his mouth were sending tingles through my spine. I wouldn't know what to do if those sounds were directed at me. I'd probably jump him right on this couch.

Leaning back on the couch, I tucked the empty wrapper to the corner of the coffee table, my feet coming up to fold under my body. I tilted my head to rest against the back of the couch, my eyes closing as I listened to Edward enjoy his food. The tension that was coursing through my body earlier slowly eased off, my muscles relaxing as I let my mind wander. I was stressed beyond belief this past week, my mind and body warring with one another as I tried to keep myself in balance. My will to fulfill my duties at work was opposing with my mind which was filled with thoughts of Edward. I badly wanted both to succeed that I don't know what to focus on more. I know that if it would come to worse, Edward wouldn't make me choose but I don't want it to come to that. I want to be a normal girl with a balanced life that could juggle her personal relationship and her career without sacrificing anything. In my opinion, that wasn't too much to ask for, right?

"Penny for your thoughts," Edward whispered lowly, his shoulder nudging me.

I simply shook my head at him, turning to offer him a small smile. He pressed his forefinger on the crease between my brows, pushing until my frown loosened completely.

"You had a class today?" I asked him, nodding towards his ensemble. From the way he eyed me from the corner of his eye, I think Edward knew that I was trying to distract him from prying for my thoughts.

"Nah," he said between mouthfuls of nacho chips, "I just had a meeting with the dean."

"Yeah? About what?"

"He wants to confirm if I'm staying for good," Edward said nonchalantly as he reached for the remainder of his enchilada.

I think my heart stopped beating for a while as his words registered, my fingers stopped plucking the loose thread on the arm of the couch. My neck was tense as I restrained myself to whip my head towards his direction, my bulging eyes imploring for his confirmation.

 _Of course, I wanted him to stay here for good. I wanted Edward to stay for me._ But I couldn't exactly ask that from him, not when we still haven't made anything official yet.

"Yeah?" I said after beat of silence. I was afraid that he could also hear my hammering heart as I waited for him to answer.

"Yeah," Edward nodded, wounding his arm around my shoulders and bringing me closer to his side. "I'm staying, Bella."

 _For good?_

I wanted to confirm, but I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to pressure him into agreeing to long-term commitments. If he said that he wanted to stay, then I'll believe him. No questions asked.

"That's _nice_ ," I whispered, burrowing myself closer to his side to hide my smirk.

" _Nice_?" he reiterated, gently poking me on the sides. A giggle burst through my lips as I tried to squirm away.

Edward held on to my arms tighter, repositioning our bodies on the couch so that we were facing each other instead of sitting side by side. He gently grasped my chin and tilted my face up, meeting my eyes head on.

"Bella," he murmured, leaning closer until he pressed a gentle kiss on my lips.

I took a deep breath before I took his bottom lip between mine, biting onto it gently. Edward released a groan as he scooted closer, his hands wounding their way into my messy curls. My hands were running up and down his back, my nails gently scratching above his shirt as Edward shivered at the touch. Without any preamble, Edward pressed his hands under my thighs and situated me on his lap. I released a gasp of surprise, Edward taking advantage of my momentary distraction to move his lips to my throat. Incoherent moans were leaving my mouth as Edward continued to kiss and suck on my throat, no doubt leaving marks all over my skin. I grabbed a handful of his bronze locks and pulled, eliciting another groan from Edward. I could feel his hands moving along the expanse of my back before settling on the hem of my shirt. Grasping it, his fingers teased the sliver of skin above my pants. I felt the shivers violently running up and down my spine at the contact. I grabbed his face and fused my lips against his for another torrid kiss. Our tongues were battling for dominance, our breathing heavy and hot in the tiny space between our lips. I felt Edward's hands bunching up my shirt in his fists, the materials tightening against my waist as I squirmed in his lap. The cool breeze of air cleared my thoughts and alerted me to the fact that we may be moving too fast. Slowly, I released his jaw and moved my hands to join his at my waist. I gently pried his fingers from my shirt and tangled mine with his. I placed our joined hands in my lap and raised my head to meet his green eyes.

We stared at each other for a few moments as we gathered our breaths. My chest was brushing against his, and when I moved to back away for a bit, Edward held on tighter and pressed me back to his warmth. I burrowed further into his chest and released a sigh of relief, Edward's scent was surrounding me with every breath I take and I love it.

And I think I love him too.

Startled with my realization, I tensed a bit in his arms. Edward must have noticed the change in my form because he gently pulled away and caught my face in his palm.

"Something wrong?" he asked, his brows tightening into a frown as he implored my eyes.

"No," I said lowly, moving to lean against his chest.

"Are you sure?" Edward confirmed as his arms tightened around me. I felt safe in the warmth of his chest, his arms wound around me securely.

"Yes."

"Alright," he murmured against my hair, pressing a kiss on my head as he rested his chin on top of it.

We sat in silence for a while, just basking in the bubble my tiny apartment provided us. The busy streets of Seattle could still be heard below the windows, cars whooshing past and people rushing home from work. But as we nestled here on my couch, inside my dimly lit apartment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world. The rest was only just a background noise, a reminder that there was a world outside the two of us but it doesn't matter. Not to me anyway, because as I lay here in Edward's arms, his warmth was the only thing that I needed.

"I missed you this past week," I murmured, turning my head to press a kiss on his jaw.

"I missed you too," he said, bringing me closer to his chest, "Let's never do that again, okay?"

"No complaints from me," I told him, nuzzling further against his chest.

Edward released a deep sigh, his warm breath washing over my neck as I closed my eyes. I was content just being in Edward's arms, his hands playing idly on my arms, his heart beating against my back. There was nothing else I'd ever need.

Just Edward.

 _ **AN: Thoughts?**_

 _ **I know I suck at replying to reviews, but please keep them coming anyway!**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**This chapter is unbeta'd**_

 _ **December 2016**_

Last night, I was so tempted to ask Edward to stay the night. I refrained, reasoning with myself that I'd see him again tonight. At the time, it felt like it was a reasonable point, not to mention that it was a great display of restraint. But as I fruitlessly watched the hours go by while I sit here in my desk at work, it didn't seem like a good thing at all. Since the time I came in the morning, all I could ever focus on was our date for tonight. My mind kept on conjuring up scenarios which leaves me hot, something that I have never thought I would be while at work. My effort to focus on my job was futile, not until I get my hands and sights on Edward tonight anyway.

Sighing deeply, I reclined on my office chair and titled my head up towards the ceiling. I forced my eyes to close since I knew that I'd only obsess over the time moving _so_ slowly if I let myself peek at the clock on the corner of my screen. There were still ten more minutes to go but I was already ready to leave, my bag was already packed and was sitting by my feet. I knew that my coworkers have noticed my change in attitude lately, but so far, none had commented. I'd like for it to stay that way but we all know that it was inevitable.

A tap on my desk caught my attention and when I opened an eye, I saw the dark silhouette of a woman standing over my workspace. I straightened in my seat and plastered a smile on my face, meeting Jessica's curious gaze.

"Hi Bella," she chirped in that irritating nasally voice.

I fought off the scowl that was trying to break through my face. "Hi Jess, need anything?"

She fidgeted beside my desk as she wringed her hands together, her eyes looking anywhere but at me.

"Actually," she gulped audibly, "There seems to be a problem with my internet connection-"

"Have you asked Paul about it?" I interrupted, the irritation bubbling up my throat at her words. _We've had this conversation for a hundred times already…_

"I haven't yet, but-"

"Jessica," I said gravely, "I'm sorry but you have to ask Paul about it. I'm clocking out in two minutes."

"But he scares me!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flaming up at her outburst.

"And he scares me too," I told her patronizingly, "But he's the only one that could help you unless you can do it by yourself."

"You know that I can't," she whined, bringing out the puppy dog eyes.

 _Oh no, sister. That won't work on me._

With a quick glance to the screen, I released a sigh of relief before turning to face Jessica again. "Sorry, Jess. I've got to run now. Bye!"

Dashing away from my desk and a sulking Jessica, I barely missed hitting a coworker in the face with my bag. I threw a hasty apology over my shoulder, my eyes never leaving the elevators at the end of the hall. I almost sprinted in my haste to catch the first car to go down to the lobby.

"Please hold the door!" I shouted the moment the doors started closing. I took bigger steps as I neared the elevator, my legs already starting to feel sore from all the exercise it got in the last minute.

"Thanks," I murmured as I quickly darted inside the cart, my rear met the back wall of the car. I squeezed my eyes shut in a bout of exhaustion, letting my muscles relax as I settled my breathing.

"Bella?"

Slowly opening my eyes, my gaze trailed from the voice's feet up to his face. My heart started to beat wildly in my chest when my eyes made contact with his jaw because once upon a time, I've fantasized about licking that fine bone structure.

"Hey, Garrett," I mumbled, willing myself to not squirm under his gaze.

A knowing smirk greeted me and I wanted to badly smack it off his gloating face. I forcibly hid my fists behind my back, my knuckles tight from the self-imposed restraint.

"Fancy meeting you here," I rambled, willing the elevator to move faster.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you since-"

"That day," I quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear a replay of that fatefully awful day.

"Yeah," he sighed, sounding a little relieved. "How have you been, Bella?"

"I'm good," I said, smiling despite myself, "Really good, actually."

"Really?"

I swiftly turned my head to face him as I heard the tone of his voice, as if he was in disbelief. I openly scowled at him as let my irritation to be seen.

"Problem, Garrett?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow as I waited for him to explain himself.

"Nothing," he chuckled, shaking his head to the thoughts he wouldn't say, "It's just…"

My eyebrow could probably get lost in my hairline with how high I've raised it as I waited for Garrett to continue. He kept on chuckling to himself and it irritates me, partly because I knew just what's on his mind.

"How about that date now, Bella?" he smirked, looking too full of himself.

I rolled my eyes hard, almost getting them stuck at the back of my head. "Don't flatter yourself too much, buddy. It was a one-time thing."

"Aw, you've gotten over your crush on me already?" he teased, having the nerve to step a little closer to me.

I held my ground as I appraised him from head to toe, an impish grin forming on my lips. "Never said that I had one."

He gaped at me as I stepped out, the dinging of the elevator indicating that we've reached our destination. I looked over my shoulder to see Garrett still inside the car, his eyes trained on my back.

"Never believe the office rumors, Garrett!" I called out, laughing my ass off as I reached the exit.

I walked out of the office in high spirits, all thanks to that unfortunate encounter with Garrett. I can't help but chuckle at his ludicrous presumption, his earlier words getting a laugh from me. He should have known better than to believe some office rumor, but apparently, he really did think that high of himself.

On my first day on the job, I made the mistake of asking who Garrett was. Jessica had obligingly told me all about the things she knew about him, his personal information, dating history, and all other nonsensical and quite frankly, inappropriate details one should share with her coworker. I remember giving her a tight smile, feeling the information I'd been given to quickly slip through my mind. Those were not the things I was interested in hearing about, but it was all Jessica had offered. I didn't ask anyone else because I didn't want to hear the same thing over and over, in the off-chance that they were birds of the same feather and all that. The next day, Garrett cornered me in the pantry and practically demanded me to go out with him. I looked at him questioningly and he tried to confirm with me if I did have a crush on him. It was silly then and it was still silly now how he acted as if we were in middle school. I laughed in his face and told him I was merely curious about _everyone_ and I was _definitely_ _not_ paying extra special attention to him. I don't know if he believed me or not, but since that day, he has relentlessly hounded and teased me about my supposed crush.

I ignored him as much as I could, but some days it's hard to not pay attention to his bullshit, but thankfully this day wasn't like the others. The happiness brewing inside from Edward's presence in my life was eclipsing everything in my life, even the ones that used to irritate me so much. The smile that was etched on my face came through even during my dreaded bus ride from work, making it a small feat as the commute has seemed to always drain me.

Entering my apartment, I quickly headed for the bathroom for a quick shower. As the steam billowed inside the tiny space, my relaxed muscles loosened further, almost turning me into a Bella-mush on the bathroom floor. I don't think I have ever been this relaxed before, maybe not even as a child. I closed my eyes tightly as I tilted my face towards the shower, letting the rush of water wash the day away. I gently scrubbed on my skin as I let my mind wander back to Edward, all thoughts of him causing my skin to take on a pink hue. A sigh unconsciously left my lips as I thought of his green eyes, the reminder of how it felt to have them trained on me was making me a bit flustered. The blush that bloom all throughout my body had nothing to do with the warm water. I quickly rinsed the soap and suds clinging on my wet skin and hastily dried myself off. It wouldn't help my frustration if I let my mind wander to _those_ kinds of thoughts.

Walking into my bedroom, my mind began to run through the outfits I have in my closet that would be appropriate for my date with Edward. Because for as much time I thought about our date tonight, I haven't really thought of the details that well. I would have probably blamed it on my nerves, the problem was, I wasn't actually nervous about it. The thought of seeing Edward tonight doesn't shoot my nerves into overdrive, well, maybe in excitement, but _never_ in trepidation. Pulling out a dark blue knee-length dress from the depths of my closet, I held it out in front of me and looked at the mirror. I liked how the color brought out the glow to my pale skin, making me look alive instead of coming up whey-faced. I dug out my trusty black stilettos and quickly put on the dress, taking a glance at the alarm clock on my nightstand. Hurrying over to the bathroom counter, I applied just a smidge of makeup; a quick swipe of lipstick and mascara to complete my look.

After cramming my phone and wallet inside my purse, I rushed to the door, retrieving my coat from its hanger on the way. I was shoving my right arm through the sleeve of my coat as I locked the door, my back completely turned to the hallway, making it impossible for me to see anyone who's passing through or coming in and out of the apartments. Completely focused on securing my apartment, I didn't see the figure approaching me until it stood behind me, way too close for my comfort. I felt the shiver running up my spine and I quickly turned, only to be faced with James' leery grin inches from my face.

"Hi Bella," he whispered, the scent of alcohol wafting through the tiny space between us.

I tried to inconspicuously crane my neck away from the stench, my face twisting into a grimace as I tried to shake off the smell.

"Hey," I greeted through clenched teeth, gripping my keyring tightly in my fist behind my back.

James took a step back, but it wasn't enough for any form of movement or escape. I quickly scanned the hallway over his shoulder, feeling my heart drop a bit in my stomach as I spied the empty halls. _Shit._

"Going somewhere?" he asked, getting up in my face as he tried to catch my gaze.

"Yeah," I nodded, trying to appear calm and disinterested.

"Hot date?"

"You could say that again," I grinned, feeling my chest loosen as a flash of bronze came into my limited line of sight.

James looked over his shoulder to see what brought on the smile on my face to see Edward standing directly behind him, a faux grin fixed on his face.

"Can I help you?" James asked, turning his body to fully face Edward.

I stepped away from the door as soon as James took a step back, moving to move closer to Edward. I looked up at him to catch the expression of his face, his jaw twitching a bit as he looked at James. I inched closer and placed a gentle hand on his back to ease the tensed muscles. Edward briefly glanced down at me to throw a smile my way but he quickly moved to eye James again.

"I'm here to pick up _my_ date," Edward said, wrapping a strong arm around my waist securely. I nuzzled onto his side, turning to smile indulgently at James.

He frowned deeply at the image of us, wrapped tightly around each other, smiling wide like idiots. My earlier apprehension towards James has evaporated as soon as I caught the sight of Edward walking into the hallway.

"Bella?" James turned to me for confirmation, his brows curved into a scowl.

"James, this is my date, Edward," I told him, my megawatt smile stretching to reach my ears.

Edward pulled me closer to his side, his arm tightening around my waist. I saw that the move didn't fly under James' nose without him noticing it, his scowl an indication that he sensed the possessive nature of Edward's action. I waited for the words to sink in, watching as the emotions passed on James' face. As the resignation settled, James looked at the way we were wrapped around each other closely before his eyes settled on my face. I offered him a small smile as we stared at each other, my arm never loosening its hold on Edward's waist.

"So that's why you never said yes to me," James muttered so low that I wouldn't have heard him if it weren't for the absolute silence that has descended between the three of us.

"I'm sorry," I offered him earnestly.

James nodded at me, his eyes trailing to the floor as his shoulders slumped in defeat. He stoically marched over his apartment, which was across from mine, and unlocked his door.

"See you around, Bella," he said over his shoulder, his eyes not meeting mine as he closed the door behind him.

Edward and I stood in silence for a while, never leaving the other's side as we watched James' closed door. I felt the deep sigh that Edward released, his hand loosening its firm hold.

"You okay?" he asked, nudging my side.

"Yeah," I nodded, turning to look up at him and smile.

"He won't be a problem, right?" I turned to look at him, the question probably filling my eyes. "I mean, he won't bother you again?"

"Oh," understanding his concern, I freed myself from his grasp and faced him fully. "James may be persistent but he was never a threat."

"Okay," he said, nodding a little to himself. "That's good."

Leaning down, Edward pressed a sweet firm kiss on my lips, completely taking me by surprise.

"Hi," he grinned, pulling me closer to his chest.

"What was that for?" I asked him, trying to look confused but the huge smile on my face kind of gave me away.

"Well," he grinned, "I didn't get to greet you properly earlier, so…"

"Alright," standing on my toes, I brought my arms around his neck and kissed him.

Edward wrapped his arms around my waist, bringing me closer to him until our bodies were pressed together tightly that there were no more spaces between us. The heat coming off his chest was searing, just like the way his lips felt against mine. His tongue licked at my bottom lip and I opened my mouth a little, granting him access. I moaned at the feel of his tongue sweeping against mine, my grip on the hairs on his neck tightening. I could feel the stirring in my loins as our kisses grew heated, my cheeks getting warmer as the blush speared throughout my body. Edward was groaning in my mouth as I pressed my hips taut against his. The hint of the hardness in his pants was making me wild, my fingers moving to clasp his jaw more firmly to my face. Edward moved one hand to hold my hip, the other shifting to wound in the tangle of my brown curls.

After a few more pecks, I moved away from Edward's lips and placed my lips to rest against his jaw. Panting, I tried my hardest to calm my breathing, my lips moving against his scruff with every breath I take. I could feel Edward gulping down a couple of times, his throat moving against my cheeks as his hand formed lazy circles on my hip. I pulled away and looked at him, his green eyes meeting mine immediately.

"Hi," he murmured, a lopsided grin blooming on the corner of his mouth.

I pressed one last kiss to his soft lips before I withdrew completely, the only remaining contact between us was our clasped hands.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah," he nodded, directing me towards the stairs.

The cold air that greeted us as we stepped out on the streets of Seattle brought a shiver down my spine. I huddled closer to Edward's side, burrowing into the warmth of his body. The streets were decorated with Christmas lights and other festive decorations, giving the chilly weather a warm look. There were a lot of people milling around, either they were coming home from work or they're working on their Christmas shopping. I fleetingly reminded myself to buy Edward a Christmas gift, and fast, as Christmas was just a mere week away.

Edward led me to the silver Volvo parked in front of my apartment building with his hand on my lower back to guide me. Opening my door, he let me situate myself on my seat before leaning down to press another kiss on my lips. I grinned at him and watched as he quickly walked over to his side of the car.

"Ready?" Edward asked, looking over at me.

"Yes."

"Alright," he hummed, starting the engine. The Volvo hummed to life and I released a sigh of relief when the car's heating system blasted warm air over to me.

We drove around in silence for a while, with the occasional chatter here and there. The quiet ambiance inside the tiny space wasn't awkward at all. We were comfortable around each other enough that we didn't find the need to fill the silence with some inane chitchat. During the whole ride, I fought the instinct to look over at Edward. The way his sharp jaw was highlighted by the passing street light causes my breath to hitch in my throat. His overall profile was just a work of art, to be honest.

As we neared our destination, I forced myself to tear my eyes away from Edward and look out the window. The view outside was all just a blur of colors and lights, merging together to form a picturesque Christmas in Seattle. My heart soars in my chest as I realized that this time, I'd have someone very special with me during the holidays. I turned to look back at Edward to catch him already looking at me with a sparkle in his eye.

"What?" I asked, feeling a bit self-conscious as he continued to stare at me.

"Have I told you that you look so beautiful tonight?"

I blushed hard at his words, my heart freefalling to my gut and _for_ Edward. He grinned playfully at me before turning his attention back to the road. I moved my hand to cover his, entwining our fingers before bringing it to rest on my lap. Edward squeezed my hand gently, throwing another smile my way before proceeding to drive us to the restaurant.

As the buildings blurred into rows and rows of cement and bricks, the spark of energy brewing between us grew into an inferno. Edward was rubbing circles on the back of my hand; an action that was supposed to soothe my nerves, but instead, all it ever did was ignite the fire. We took the long way by driving over Aurora Bridge, with the buildings thinning as we passed along. Soon, Edward took a left turn and drove to the entrance of Canlis. In all the years I've been living in Seattle, I have never ventured to this part of the city. I was excited beyond belief, add to it the fact that I was sharing this with Edward and I could say that I'm definitely elated.

The valet attendant was immediately at my side of the car as soon as the Volvo stopped, eagerly opening my door to let me out. Edward quickly stepped out and moved to assist me, holding his hand for me to take. Grasping his outstretched palm, I pulled myself from my seat and stood close to Edward. He handed the attendant his car keys before turning back to face me.

"Shall we?"

"Yes!" I agreed excitedly. Edward leaned down to press a kiss on my forehead before walking us over to the podium by the entrance.

The hostess was smiling as we approached, her eyes trained on us with a friendly look on her face.

"Welcome to Canlis. How may I help you?"

"Reservation for Cullen, please," Edward said, smiling at her. I practically bounced on my feet as she checked her list.

"This way, please," the hostess said after a few seconds, moving away from her podium to lead us to our table.

Edward wrapped his arm around my waist as we followed her, my eyes taking in the modern design of the restaurant as we walked along. I was especially taken with the floor to ceiling windows showcasing the beautiful views of Seattle, the Cascade mountain range, and Lake Union. The hostess directed us to a table beside one of the windows, the view rendering me speechless as Seattle twinkled under the stars.

"Thank you," Edward told the hostess as she moved to leave, our server moving in quickly to stand in the area she has just vacated.

My eyes automatically moved towards the windows, my face almost pressed against the glass as I tried to take in as much of the view as I could.

"Good evening, I'm Mike and I'll be your server for the night," the server said, introducing himself. I looked at him for a second before meeting Edward's eyes.

"Well," Edward started, browsing the menu before looking up at me, "What would you like for your appetizer?"

"The Peter Canlis Prawns sounds good," I said, looking at the items for the first course.

Edward hummed, his eyes scanning the menu. "I'll get the Asparagus then."

"And for the rest of your meal?"

Edward and I rattled off our orders, agreeing that we'd order different items and just share them. Mike quickly retreated to the kitchen to place our orders and Edward and I were left to our own devices. My eyes trailed over to the scenic view again, enraptured with all the twinkling lights below.

Slowly, Edward reached across the table and grasped mine in his. I turned to look at him and my breath hitched in my throat at the sight of him. The candlelight on the table gave Edward's face a warm glow, making his green eyes shine with their depth. The smile that broke out on his face was simply breathtaking. Never taking my eyes off his, I leaned forward and captured his lips with mine. The kiss was short and sweet, but still heart-pounding. The world ceased to exist as we stared at each other, green and brown merging into one as we become enraptured in our own little bubble. Being here with Edward, touching him, _loving_ him, I know without a doubt that this, right here, is one for the books.

 _ **AN:**_

 _ **Hot date? I'd love to hear what you think :)**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**This chapter is unbeta'd.**_

 _ **December 2016**_

The following weeks after our first date, Edward and I grew closer. Closer than we have ever been compared to when we were the professor and the student, and our relationship would probably be more intimate as time passes by. The things I've learned about Edward has made me fall more in love with him, and I haven't told him yet because I wasn't so sure where I stand with him. We've gone out on a _lot_ of dates, seven dates in a span of two weeks to be exact, but he hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend yet. And it wasn't that I want to rush him or anything, but I think it would make me feel better if we put a label on our relationship.

 _Well, maybe. Just maybe._

I admit that the thought of Kate was still lingering in the back of my mind. Try as I might, I can't just shake her off. She was such a huge part of Edward's life for the past decade, something that I know I would never be able to compete with, and I wasn't trying to. I wouldn't want to change anything about Edward at all, regardless of how big or small their impact had been on his life. And I trust him. If he tells me that I don't need to worry about Kate or anyone else, then I wouldn't.

Still, a small niggling part of my brain likes to constantly remind me that there has been someone else. It wasn't anything personal to Kate or anything but I can't help but hate the thought that she was there, she was there _first_. It was immature of me because Edward hadn't been the first in my life, but I also didn't plan my life with someone beside me for eight years. I was aware that I was being a jealous bitch and I couldn't turn it off. Not even if I tried.

"Hello, earth to Bella," Alice nudged me, almost toppling my beer bottle out of my hands.

I tightened my grip on my beer and turned to Alice. "I'm sorry, I was a bit distracted there for a while."

"I know," she teased, "You were staring off into the distance with that serious look on your face. I could tell that something's going in your mind."

"Yeah," I nodded, taking a sip of my beer and letting the liquid swish around in my mouth.

"Mind sharing with me?"

"I…" trailing off, I looked at her face and saw the concern etched on her features. I relented, knowing that Alice was just trying to look out for me. "It's just some stupid stuff."

"Well, let's hear them," she cajoled, taking a sip from her glass.

"I don't think this is the right place for this," I muttered, looking around the crowded bar. My eyes automatically moved towards the entrance, searching out that familiar bronze tint.

Edward had agreed to meet Alice, _finally_ , although I have to admit that the hesitation didn't certainly come from him. He was actually excited to meet my best friend though I was a bit skeptical. In my defense, I did not want Alice to intimidate him.

Edward and I have discussed this particular night in great lengths, coming up to the agreement that we would arrive separately. I was bringing Alice along and he's bringing his friend, Emmett the bulging guy from the first night we reunited and his girlfriend, Rosalie. Alice and I arrived a little earlier than planned, since Alice couldn't keep her excitement inside and practically dragged me here. I didn't protest because I was excited myself, feeling that this meeting was just something to solidify our growing relationship.

"Is it about Edward?" Alice asked, leaning in closer to whisper in my ear.

Upon hearing his name, a smile automatically bloomed on my lips despite my earlier musings. "Yes, but not like that." _Kind of like that but Alice doesn't really need to know that._

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I told her, turning to face her so she could see the truth in my eyes.

"I don't want you to have any doubts, Bella," she said, smiling a little at me to show that she's really just looking out for me.

"Jeez, Al. You make it sound like Edward and I are getting married," I told her a bit teasingly.

"Well, you could be," she muttered under her breath, but it wasn't low enough to be inaudible. I almost spit my beer onto the counter, thankfully, I was able to clamp a hand over my mouth before it came out.

"Jesus, Alice!" I exclaimed, garnering a few stares to our direction. I must have looked like a deranged person with my crazy eyes and wild gestures, but I don't care.

"What?" Alice asked nonchalantly, as if she hadn't just thrown my world off from its axis.

"You know exactly what you did," I hissed under my breath, my hand shaking as it gripped the bottle tightly in my fist.

"Well, you were the one who threw the idea of marriage anyway," Alice rebuffed, looking sideways at me.

"I… _ugh_!"

Alice cackled beside me, throwing her head back as she used me for her amusement. I sat speechless on my stool, my mouth gaping as I looked at my best friend. She knows that her comment has got me flustered and she obviously enjoys it. I don't know if I should be mad or amused. Determined to ignore the witch beside me, I moved my attention to the entrance again. The huddled heads and dancing bodies were blocking my view so I craned my neck, almost standing on my seat to get a clearer view of the door. Thankfully, the bar wasn't as crowded as it would be if today were vibration of my phone in my pocket distracted me for a moment, and as I fished it out, a smile broke out on my face.

 _ **just walked thru the parking lot, see u very soon x**_

My head snapped up towards the entrance again, and this time, like some clichéd '80s teen movie, the crowd parted as they gave way to Edward. My breath hitched in my throat as I took in his dark green polo and black pants which was topped with the mischievous gleam in his eyes. I almost missed the muscled guy and statuesque blonde walking behind him but their presence couldn't be simply ignored. Edward steadily made his way towards me, his gaze never faltering from my face. From my periphery, I could see that Alice was staring at my profile but I didn't pay any attention to her. My heart was jumping wildly in my chest and my cheeks were blazing red from the intensity of Edward's gaze. It felt as if we were the only two people in this cramped space and the energy brewing between us was setting the building on fire. I watched his every step until he was standing in front of me, his forearms caging me against the counter.

"Hi," Edward whispered as he leaned down to my ear.

As his nose grazed my cheek, I turned my head to capture his lips in a sweet kiss. Edward hummed against my mouth, gently biting on my bottom lip before stepping back a little.

"Hi," I smiled shyly up at him, my cheeks burning as I looked up at him from under my lashes.

Edward placed a finger under my chin and gently titled my face up, his grin hitting me head-on as our eyes met. He quickly leaned down again and placed a kiss on my lips.

"Alright, I think that's enough," Alice muttered beside me. I looked at her to see her trying to hide a smile behind the glass she's holding up to her mouth. I scowled at her before turning back to Edward.

"Ignore her, she's just jealous," I told him, smiling as he held my hand in his.

"Anyway," he chuckled, standing back a little to let his friends come in the circle. "This are Emmett and Rosalie, my friends from college."

"Hello," the couple said in unison. Emmett had a big smile that showed off his dimple, while Rosalie looked at us, well, at _me_ with a bit of wariness on her face.

Edward moved to take a sit beside me while Emmett and Rosalie took the seats on his right. Edward scooted his stool closer to mine before draping his arm over my shoulders and pulling me closer to his side. My hand automatically rested on his thigh while my other hand intertwined with the one he had dangling from my shoulder.

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen. You must be Alice," Edward said, leaning over me to introduce himself to Alice.

"Yeah, Alice Brandon. Hello, Emmett, Rosalie," Alice said, a lilting tone in her voice. "Nice to meet you, _Professor_ Cullen."

My head whipped towards her direction, my eyes narrowing as I looked at the teasing streak on her face. Emmett laughed heartily beside Edward, clearly enjoying the teasing.

Edward momentarily tensed beside me, his hand going slack in mine. I squeezed his fingers reassuringly as I smiled at him. Slowly, the tension left his body and he returned my grin.

Shifting a little in his seat, Edward cleared his throat as he recovered from his shock. "Were you in one of my classes, Alice?"

I stifled a laugh from the look of surprise on Alice's face. Clearly, she wasn't expecting that comeback.

"Oh, I wasn't as lucky as our Bella here, Professor," Alice quipped, nudging me closer to Edward's side.

"Alice," I breathed, a warning brewing underneath my tone, "Behave."

"That's too bad, Alice. I bet Edward would have motivated you to study harder too," Emmett quipped, his loud voice booming over the counter.

"Em, shut up," Rosalie hushed beside him. I looked over as Emmett yelped, moving his thigh away from Rosalie's pinching fingers. "Ignore him, he's just being hard."

Edward snickered beside me as his arm tightened around my shoulders. Kissing my temple, his lips lingered on my skin, igniting a fire beneath the surface. "It's okay, Bella."

Agreeing hesitantly, I took a sip from my beer as Edward tried to get the bartender's attention. I could hear him rattling his order, with Emmett occasionally butting in to ask about this or that, and to add his orders. From the corner of my eye, I watched as Alice fidgeted in her seat, her hands restlessly plucking on the hem of her skirt. I wanted to reassure her but I was still feeling a bit irritated at her earlier display, so I just let her be. I know Alice, and I know that she'll come to me with whatever it was that was on her mind when she's ready.

Sighing, I leaned closer to Edward's side, resting my head against his shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked, placing a kiss on at the top of my head.

"Yeah," I said, turning my head to look at him, "It's just… I feel tired."

"Do you want to go?"

"Oh, no," sitting up, I shook my head at Edward's suggestion. "I can handle it. Besides, you guys just got here."

"Well, if you're sure…" Edward said, looking at me skeptically.

"Yes, I'm sure," I told him, leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek.

"Alright," Edward murmured, wrapping an arm around my waist to pull me closer to his side.

Emmett and Rosalie were talking quietly beside Edward; their hushed words barely audible in the loud bar. From what I could hear, Rosalie was scolding her boyfriend for ordering too much, and Emmett was pleading his case that there was _never_ too much when it comes to food. I stifled a laughter from their banter, turning my head towards Edward's shoulder to hide my face.

"You know what," Emmett said, turning to look at us, "You guys are making it hard for us to do this."

"Do what?"

"You know, ask you how you met, when, where, and all the other shit that we were supposed to ask you," Emmett grumbled although I could tell that he was trying to fight off a smirk.

"Well, I could play along and you can still ask me that," I told Emmett earnestly.

"Oh, Bella, you really shouldn't have said that," Edward told me, part in humor and the other in seriousness. He turned to look at Emmett and sighed.

Emmett laughed loudly and leaned across the counter to see me more clearly. He rubbed his palms together and I felt my heart dropping to my gut.

"Sooo, Bella," Emmett practically glowed, his smile taking on a teasing streak. "I _heard_ you had the biggest crush on our Professor Cullen here."

"Yeah, so?" Earlier this week, Edward had warned me that Emmett would try to tease me all night, and that the only thing I could do to avoid getting riled up was to join in. Based on the surprised look on Emmett's face, I could tell that I have succeeded.

"You're not denying it?" he asked, his tone sullen as he looked at me sideways.

"No," I levelled, quite pleased with myself that I wasn't blushing.

"God, you sound just like Edward," he pouted ridiculously, earning a chuckle from the rest of us. "Oh, you're laughing now, but when all the joy has been sucked out of you, I'd like to see you laugh then."

Emmett crossed his arms across his massive chest, looking like an overgrown baby whose bottle was stolen from him. Alice and Rosalie had then started to console Emmett, albeit it was in a joking manner. Alice even moved to sit beside Rosalie. Soon, the three of them were talking amongst themselves, occasionally laughing whenever Emmett would say something ridiculous. I leaned farther into Edward's side, my head resting on his shoulder while my hand plays with his fingers. We were quiet despite the loud surroundings, quite content in just being in each other's presence.

Soon, Emmett was engaging us in their chatter, practically forcing Edward to remove his body from mine. I wanted to protest at first, but I realized that we went out so that we could meet the other's friends. I started to talk with Alice and Rosalie instead, although the latter was still quite distant. I figured that it must have been because we have just met, so I let it go. And Alice was mostly back to acting like her typical self, so I didn't think too much about it. Besides, I figured that we had the whole night to get to know each other.

"So, Bella, it's true, then?" Rosalie asked me when there was lull in the conversation. I looked at her to see the serious look on her face.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, quite a bit confused with her question. I tried to think back to what we were previously talking about, but I came up with none that could prompt her to question me.

" _Rose_ ," Edward shook his head, his arms wrapping around my waist to pull me closer.

"What?"

"It's fine," I assured Edward, pressing a kiss to his cheek. I look towards Rosalie and smiled at her. "What do you mean _it's true then_?"

"Oh," Rosalie looked a bit shocked, but she composed her features easily. "I was just wondering if you didn't lie to Em, that you really _did_ want Edward back when he was still your professor."

"Why would I lie about that?" I asked, albeit rhetorically. "I mean, maybe _want_ is not the right word, but I liked him even then."

"Even when he was your professor?" she pressed, leaning her elbows on the counter. "Even when you knew he was with someone else?"

"Whoa," I sat back, startled by her latter question. "I did _not_ know he was in a relationship then."

"You didn't?" Rosalie asked, looking right at my eyes.

"No," I shook my head, looking towards Edward for a moment to see him looking at Rosalie with a strange expression on his face.

"You didn't tell her? Why?" This time, the question was directed at Edward. I could see the storm brewing in Rosalie's blue eyes, and it made me feel like there was more to it than what Edward had told me.

"I…" Edward trailed off, his arm falling from my waist. "Rose, I don't think this is-"

" _Bullshit_ ," Rosalie interrupted. "I want to know why, Edward."

Edward remained silent for a while, his fingers curling into fists a few times before he loosened them and placed them on the counter. "I didn't think it was something I had to share with my student, okay? No matter how close we were, it's not _right_."

Rosalie looked stumped, as if she was looking for words. After a while, she just stood and walked towards the direction of the washrooms. Alice moved to follow her but Emmett gently placed a hand on her elbow, stopping her. He shook his head and turned towards me.

"I'm sorry about Rose," he offered quietly. "It's just that Edward had never really told us why he suddenly left, and I guess I can say that now I know why."

"And she was such good friends with Kate too," Edward said quietly. "I'm sorry, Bella."

"It's okay," I assured them, offering a smile. "I understand where Rosalie's coming from."

"Well, I should probably go check on her," Emmett said, standing form his seat and heading towards the washrooms.

"That was intense," Alice muttered loud enough for us to hear her. Edward chuckled as he cuddled into me. I looked over to Alice to smile at her.

"I couldn't really blame her," I started, turning to look at Edward before proceeding, "I mean, you said she's good friends with Kate and you didn't really tell them why you're suddenly leaving. I guess she was a bit blindsided."

"I guess I should have told them," Edward whispered against my hair.

I hummed at him and watched as Emmett returned from the washrooms, alone. My eyes trailed to the direction he came from, with no sight of Rosalie emerging. I knowingly looked at Edward and thankfully, he moved to the empty seat beside his friend. I stood from my seat moved to walk to the washrooms. A hand grasped my arm and I looked down to see Alice moving to stand too.

"Al, I don't think…" I trailed off, looking at her expectantly.

She hesitated for a bit before resituating herself on the stool. "Yeah, I think you're right."

Determined, I walked across the bar towards the washrooms, where, thankfully and miraculously, there were no lines. Well, it was probably typical for a Monday night anyway.

The hallway was practically empty, save for some drunken girls who were standing outside the door. I casually stood against the wall, waiting for Rosalie to come out. I closed my eyes tightly as I leaned my head back against the cold concrete, letting the quiet chatter of the drunk girls lull me into a coma.

Deep down, I knew exactly why I was doing this, why I was waiting for Rosalie to come out of the washroom like some stalker. When I heard that she was a good friend of Kate's, I can't deny that a part of me sunk in. it was irrational, and maybe a bit childish, but once the words registered in my mind, it felt like it a competition of who could get closer to Rosalie. With Edward, I knew that there would never be a question, but I wasn't so sure about Rosalie. Maybe because I wanted them to approve of me for their friend, or maybe it was just this stupid habit of wanting to please everyone. I knew it was the former, in my heart of hearts, I _know_ it was the former. Because what if they don't approve of me and Edward would dump me because of it?

The creaking sound of an opening door broke me out of my thoughts and my eyes sought out Rosalie's blonde hair. I was confused when all I saw were a brunette walking out of the washroom with her head down. Frowning, I looked towards Edward and the others and saw that Rosalie was still not with them. I stood there for a while, contemplating if I should go out or not. After a few more seconds, my curiosity won out and I found myself walking across the bar towards the exit. I threw Edward one more glance and was rooted to my spot when I met his eyes. I mentioned that I'd just be out for a few minutes and he nodded at me. I could feel his eyes on my back as I continued to walk towards the exit.

I felt the chill in my bones as the wind whipped towards me. I huddled closer to the wall, my eyes bouncing over heads as I looked for Rosalie. I figured she wouldn't have left without saying goodbye, wouldn't she? A quick sight of a long-haired blonde head propelled me to walk past the people who were loitering outside towards the side of the building. It was dark, but I could just make out Rosalie's silhouette as she leaned against the wall with a cigarette in her hand.

"Rosalie?"

"You can call me Rose, you know," she smirked, puffing out a large cloud of smoke. "Want some?"

I politely declined her offer of cigarettes, instead, I mirrored her position against the wall. I looked out towards the bar's entrance, watching as some people stumbled inside cabs.

"I'm not mad at you," she whispered beside me. The tone of her voice made me look back at her. "Just so we're clear."

"I know," I told her, a half lie.

"It's just, I was shocked. And I don't deal well with shock, so I figured I should go out before Em had to restrain me." I don't know if she was being serious, but I kept my mouth shut just in case she was.

We were silent as we both jut leaned against the building, Rose puffing out cancerous smoke while I inadvertently inhaled them.

"Look," Rose started after a while, "It wasn't anything personal against you or something, okay? I was just shocked and had to blow some steam. Kate is a good friend of mine and it just came as a surprise that Edward had to leave without telling us why. I could tell that you're good for our friend, and for that, I'd like to get to know you."

"Oh." A little bit shocked by her speech, I tried to scramble up for words in my mind. "I'd like to get to know you too."

Snubbing her cigarette with the toe of her shoe, Rosalie turned to me with a teasing smile on her face. "Nice talk, Bella. I'll you see in there."

"Okay?" Confused, I turned to watch her walk away but was met with the sight of Edward standing in the alley's entryway. Rose punched him lightly on the chest before ducking under his arm.

We stared at each other for a while with matching grins on our faces. Slowly, Edward walked towards me with his hands propped to take mine in his. I quietly acquiesced and pulled him beside me. Edward tucked me under his arm and pressed a kiss to my temple, in which I smiled in return.

"Are you ready?" It felt like Edward was asking me for more than just reentering the club, and I just know that whatever it was, I would always be ready as long as he's by my side.

"Yes."

 _ **AN: What about you, are you ready?**_

 _ **Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**This chapter is unbeta'd.**_

 _ **December 2016**_

What do you buy a man who seems to have everything he's ever wanted?

I've been walking these aisles for the past hour or so, and I'm still empty-handed. Everything was either impersonal or too intimate, with no middle ground or whatsoever. I was getting frustrated, add to it the massive rush of people completing their Christmas shopping and I was beyond exasperated. The sales lady has been inconspicuously following my every move since I entered their store, her eyes never straying from me even as I walked away from her.

I walked towards the store's display case again, my eyes automatically drawn to the classic black-faced wristwatch that I have been eyeing earlier. I gulped as my eyes trailed towards the price, but I guess spending almost $300.00 for Edward would be worth it. I looked up from the display and caught the associate's attention. She quickly walked over to me with a practiced smile etched on her face.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

"Hi, can I see this one?" I asked, pointing to the watch. The saleslady quickly walked behind the counter and retrieved it for me. She carefully placed it on the counter's surface and stepped back as she let me examine it. I brought the cushion closer to my face and turned the watch this way and that, examining every angle until I was satisfied.

"I'll take it," I said as I handed it over to the saleslady. I watched as she meticulously wrapped the package with various types of paper, all joined to make a pretty gift wrapper.

"Some last-minute shopping for the boyfriend?"

"Yes," I replied nonchalantly, realizing the word's implication a little too late. "I mean… uhm, yeah."

To her credit, the saleslady didn't comment on my sudden frazzled state, although I could tell that she was trying hard to reign in her laughter. I didn't meet her eyes for the remaining period it took for her to secure my purchase.

"Do you have any more items to buy?" the saleslady asked as she finished wrapping the box.

"No, that's the one," I nodded towards the box in her hands.

"Alright, if you'll just follow me," she said, stepping away from the counter and heading towards the cashier.

The line was relatively short, so I was done in just under twenty minutes. I held the paper bag securely in my hand as I walked out of the store, a few hundred bucks lighter. A light sheen of snow was falling as I walked along the streets of Seattle, adding to the magical feel of Christmas. I was mentally going over my list for the following three days, feeling quite accomplished as I finally completed my Christmas shopping. My dad was bound to come up to Seattle in two days, and frankly, it was making me nervous. This Christmas would be the very first time he'd meet Edward and I honestly don't have any idea how he'd react once he knew that I was dating my former professor.

Then there was the fact that I wanted to keep Edward to myself for as long as possible. With the imminent meeting with Charlie, I just knew that the perfect little bubble that we have created for ourselves would be inevitably disrupted. There would be no telling if meeting my father would make Edward run for the hills, and frankly, I'm not willing to risk with the possibility that it may happen. Although I don't think there's anything I can say that would deter Edward from looking forward to meeting the chief. He was excited and I don't even know why. It's as if he was expecting that my father would take him in with open arms, because honestly, that would never be the case. Knowing my dad, he'd probably bring his guns just to see if he could scare Edward away.

Turning around the corner, I quickly walked over to the bus stop and waited in line. I still have a lot of cleaning to do, and Edward has volunteered to help me tomorrow, but I would like to get a head start tonight. I think it would be quite embarrassing if I'd let him see my place in its natural, haphazard habitat this early in the relationship anyway. Thankfully, the Seattle bus system has surprised me yet again by arriving just in time. I quickly boarded the bus and sat on the right side by the window. I closed my eyes and let my mind be lulled into unconsciousness as the bus drove towards Downtown Seattle.

I worked vigorously throughout the night; sweeping, dusting, wiping, and mopping all over the apartment. Really, the only thing that was left for Edward to do was to help me rearrange the furniture to accommodate _our_ guests for Christmas. And the next day, we did just that. Edward was such a great help in picking up and rearranging the furnishings littered all over the apartment that I can't help but shower him with kisses randomly the whole day. He would just laugh it off and would try to tickle me or pinch me, and I'd scamper away while he was chasing me. Okay, so we didn't spend the whole day _cleaning_ per se, but we did get the job done alright.

"Good morning, beautiful," Edward murmured against my hair as he cuddled closer against my back.

"Good morning," I whispered back, looking over my shoulder at him. The sight of a deliciously sleep-rumpled Edward was one great way to start Christmas.

"Merry Christmas," he said, moving closer to press a tightlipped kiss against my lips.

I sighed as he moved back, closing my eyes as I tried to prolong the moment. "God, I love you."

Silence enveloped us as my words sunk in. _Oh, my fucking god. I did not just say that._

I didn't open my eyes nor did my body loosen as I felt Edward's arms tightening around me as he brought me closer to his chest. His hand was gently moving over my back, rubbing lazy circles as he waited for me to open my eyes. I refused to give up, so I think Edward would be stuck on rubbing my back for the rest of his life. Or until he would finally see how crazy I really was and leave my ass. The thought of him leaving me forced a slight whimper from my chest and Edward immediately stopped his motions once the sound passed my lips.

"Bella," he whispered against my ear. I refused to acknowledge him so I distracted myself with the feel of his beard scratching against my skin instead.

Nudging me, he rolled my tensed body to face him. I budged to move away but he quickly gripped my hip and pulled me against his chest. "Open your eyes, Bella."

Stubborn as a mule I was.

"Bella, open your eyes," he cajoled softly, almost making me follow his words.

"No."

I felt the deep sigh leaving Edward as he tucked my head under his chin, his arms still wound tightly around me. "Bella, I love you."

My heart stopped dramatically in my chest before it started to beat wildly. His words resonated around in my head for a while before I pulled back from his embrace. I met his stare and I tried to look for anything but the truth in his green eyes. All they held was sincerity and a whole lot of love.

"You do?" I asked, trepidation clear in my voice.

"Of course, I do, Bella," Edward said, pressing a kiss on my forehead. "I love you."

"Oh, God," I murmured, my breath hitching in my throat. I brought my hands up and covered my face, trying to hide the inevitable blush from Edward's prying eyes.

"Bella," he called out again, gently taking hold of my wrists and pulling them from my face. "Come on."

"This is so embarrassing," I muttered against his chest.

"How so?" he asked, his hand starting to rub up and down my spine.

"Because," I whispered petulantly.

I knew that Edward was waiting for me to continue, but honestly, I have no argument or whatsoever. "Because?"

"Just because," I mumbled. I burrowed further into his chest, wanting to be as close to him as possible. Edward chuckled above me and I tensed, thinking that he was making fun of me. I reluctantly pushed against his chest but he simply pulled me tighter. "Please let go."

"Never," he whispered against my forehead, the word engraving itself on my skin.

"Edward," I whispered, pulling away from the safety of his warm chest to look up at him, "Merry Christmas."

He laughed loudly at that, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he peered down at me. The smile that was curling at my lips was inevitable; the sound of Edward's laughter was something truly precious to me.

"You've given me the best Christmas present ever, Bella," Edward said after a while.

I leaned back against the arm that he has around me and searched his eyes. The honesty in them caused a warm feeling to spread throughout my chest. "Really?"

"Of course," he whispered, leaning down to press a kiss against my lips. "Do you really mean it, Bella? Do you love me?"

I hesitated for a while, not out of doubt, but I have to admit that laying my heart on the line was nerve-racking even when Edward had returned the sentiment. Accidentally blurting out that I was in love with him was definitely not on today's agenda, but it still came out nonetheless. I don't know what the future holds for us, especially with my father's visit looming over our heads, but I was determined to see through it with Edward by my side.

"Yes," I told him, my false bravado working wonders for my nerves. "I know that it's too soon— "

"I agree, but at the same time, it isn't," Edward interrupted, smiling softly at me. "As you've pointed out numerous times before, we've known each other for a few years now. Though as a professor and a student, but I think I can say that we got to know each other outside of those roles anyway. And we could still get to know each other, but now we could do it under better circumstances."

"And with no more restrictions," I added, returning his smile.

"None," he said with conviction, tightening his arms around me.

"So…" trailing off, my cheeks burned as the question danced at the tip of my tongue.

"So?" quirking an eyebrow, a smirk curled at the corner of Edward's mouth. It felt like he knew exactly what I was going to ask based on my red face. Well, he probably does.

"Never mind," I muttered, cuddling to his chest.

"Bella, your face is practically burning a hole through my shirt," he chuckled, running his hand through my hair. "Tell me what's on your mind, baby."

"The, uhm… physical stuff?" I squeaked, burrowing further against his chest.

" _Physical stuff_?" Edward laughed, jarring my head from its position on his chest. "You mean sex?"

I pulled away from his embrace and leaned on my arms, levelling him with my stare. "Yes."

"What about it?" The glint in his eyes was telling me that he knew exactly what I was trying to ask.

"You know what? Never mind, I've changed my mind," I huffed out, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," I told him, moving to throw my leg over the side of the bed to get up.

"Baby, please," Edward said between chuckles as he held on to my arm. "I'm sorry, you're just so cute looking flustered and all."

I pouted at him but relented, letting him pull me back to the bed. I sat cross-legged in front of him, watching as he sat up and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Alright," he said, entwining his fingers with mine, "About the physical stuff, I'd like for us to wait for a little bit longer."

"Why?" I asked, genuinely confused. "We love each other, I think that's enough reason to have sex. Don't you think so?"

"Yes, I love you but I also want to get to know you better and vice versa," Edward told me patiently. "Just because we love each other doesn't mean we should immediately jump into bed. We're not running out of time or anything, and I've waited for this for a long time and I wanted to cherish every moment with you."

"Alright," I agreed, a bit dazed. I think I would start melting into a puddle of Bella goo if Edward would continue this. "I understand."

"Are you sure?" he asked, placing a finger under my chin and tilting it up to meet my eyes.

"Yes," I whispered, leaning into his touch. "I'm sorry if I'm pushing it."

He pulled me into his embrace and placed a kiss on my temple, the scruff on his jaw scratching my skin. "You don't have to say sorry. Trust me, I want to but I still think that we shouldn't rush this. We have all the time in the world to explore this later on."

"You're not planning on making me wait until marriage, right?" I asked jokingly.

"God, no," he laughed, pulling me tighter against his body.

"Good."

We cuddled for a few more minutes before I glanced towards my alarm clock. We were already running late behind schedule and there were still so much cooking to be done. I reluctantly pulled away from Edward's embrace, placed a soft kiss on his lips and went on to start the day.

I spent the rest of the morning making a mess of the kitchen, with numerous pans cooling on the counter and the stove continuously running. I don't even know why I was cooking so much food, the only guests _we_ were expecting were my dad, Alice and her new boyfriend, Jasper. Thankfully, Edward had volunteered to wash the dirty pots and pans so the kitchen wasn't really that much of a mess anymore. My nerves were already in full bloom by the time I turned off the stove, my hands were shaky as I set the pan of lasagna on the counter. My dad was set to arrive any minute now, and hopefully, he'd be in a festive mood.

Strong arms wrapped around me from behind as soon as my hands were free and I turned to face him. Edward placed a kiss on my forehead, unknowingly calming my nerves with the contact. I melted in his embrace and let him sway us from side to side, his throat vibrating against my temple as he hummed. My eyes drifted close as I let myself relax fully, my arms wrapping around his waist. We just stood in the middle of my kitchen for a while, holding each other tight. Edward would occasionally run his hand through my hair, and the action would send shivers down my spine. I pressed my face closer to his chest and inhaled his scent. I could stand here all day just holding Edward and I'd be happy and content.

Unfortunately, that couldn't be arranged. The doorbell ringing echoed from the hallway, forcing me to disentangle myself from Edward. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek before dashing towards the front door. As I opened the door, the first thing that caught my eye was the bushy mustache sitting on my father's face. I don't know if it makes me want to laugh or cry, or maybe both. He pulled me into a tight embrace and I wrapped my arms around him.

"Merry Christmas, Bells," he whispered in a gruff voice.

"Merry Christmas, Dad."

He pulled back and held me at arm's length, his eyes scanning my face. I squirmed a little under his gaze until he patted my shoulder.

"You look good, kid," he finally said, bending down to pick up the bag by his feet, "Work doing okay?"

"Yeah," I nodded, moving aside to let him in. "How's everyone back in Forks?"

"Eh, same old, same old," Charlie muttered as he moved towards the living room.

I followed closely behind him, my eyes trailing on my feet. Charlie was walking steadily until he wasn't. I bumped against his back as he stood still in the doorway. I raised my head and immediately saw what caused him to stop walking.

"Who are you?" he asked Edward, his tone a little suspicious. Standing from the couch, Edward slowly walked towards us.

"I'm Edward Cullen," he said, extending a hand towards my father. I moved to Edward's side and watched as Charlie eyed the proffered hand warily.

"And what are you doing here?" he continued, still not taking Edward's hand.

"Dad!"

"What?" he asked, looking at me. "I just want to know what he's doing here."

"He's spending Christmas with us, Dad," I said, exasperated.

"Alright," he nodded cautiously. He thankfully grasped Edward's hand and shook it tersely. "Charlie Swan."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Edward said politely. I grinned up at him and from the corner of my eye, I could see Charlie narrowing his eyes at me. I turned to him and rolled my eyes.

"I didn't know your other _friends_ are coming, Bells. I thought it was just Alice," Charlie commented as he moved towards the couch.

"Dad," I hissed under my breath. I quickly mouthed an apology to Edward before moving to sit on the couch opposite my father. Edward smiled at me before moving towards the kitchen. Charlie followed his every move until he was out of sight.

Turning towards me, he raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Alright, he's not just a friend, is he?"

"No. Edward and I are dating," I said.

"Since when?"

"It's still new," I hedged, lowering my eyes.

"Isabella," my father said in a warning in tone.

"What?" Innocence. If I acted as if I were one, there's a chance that Charlie wouldn't pry.

"There's something you're not telling me," he accused, his eyes narrowed as he stared at me.

"What would I hide from you?" I asked rhetorically. I looked towards the direction of the kitchen, waiting for Edward to reemerge. Charlie followed my gaze and huffed loudly in his seat.

I ignored him and watched just as Edward entered the room, his gait uncertain as he looked between Charlie and me. I smiled reassuringly at him and his body loosened a little, a soft smile curling on his lips. From the corner of my eye, I could see Charlie squirming as he darted his eyes between us, his mustache twitching. I refrained from giving him a bitch brow, _barely_.

"Edward," I called towards his direction, patting the seat beside me. Edward hesitated for a while before his whole demeanor changed and he walked confidently to my side, placing a soft kiss on my forehead as he lowered himself.

I didn't miss the way Charlie followed Edward's every move. I rolled my eyes at my father and I watched as he hid a smirk under the hairy monstrosity on his face.

"So, I heard you're dating my daughter, Edward," Charlie started as he zoned in on Edward. "Gotta say, I'm surprised since I haven't heard a word about you before."

"Sir, as I'm sure Bella has told you, the relationship is fairly new," Edward said in a gentle tone.

"Doesn't mean I have to be blindsided by it," my father continued, his face getting a bit red.

"Dad, I'm sorry, okay?" I interrupted, "There's been a lot of stuff going on and it slipped my mind."

"Fine," Charlie said petulantly. Turning to Edward, his face hardened and I groaned. Chief Swan was now in the house. "So, Edward, where are you from?"

"Chicago, sir."

"That's a long way from here," Charlie observed, raising an eyebrow in question. "How did you two meet anyway?"

"I was-"

"Alice is here!" I exclaimed as the doorbell rang at the same time Edward opened his mouth. I _subtly_ threw him a cautious look, fully aware that Charlie was eyeing me suspiciously.

I quickly dashed towards the door and opened it, almost unhinging my arm from its socket. Alice and the blond man behind her were looking at me with wide, surprised eyes.

"Thank God you're here!" I whispered, pulling Alice into a hug.

"Uhm, Merry Christmas?" Alice said, patting my back awkwardly.

"Charlie's interrogating Edward in the living room," I explained hastily.

"Oh," realization dawning on her face, she quickly pulled the man behind her and practically thrust him in my face. "This is Jasper. Jasper, Bella."

"Hi," I greeted him, "Merry Christmas."

"Hello," Jasper said, smiling warmly.

After hanging their coats, I dragged Alice to the living room in quick strides. Edward and Charlie were still seated and the awkward silence between them made me nervous.

"Charlie!" Alice yelled as she flew towards my father, hugging him fiercely. Jasper stayed behind with an amused look on his face.

"Hey, Alice," Charlie laughed, patting on her back. "Merry Christmas!"

Alice quickly pulled away and tugged Jasper towards my father. "And this is my boyfriend, Jasper."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," Jasper said, shaking hands with my father. I narrowed my eyes as Charlie easily accepted Jasper's hand.

"Professor Cullen," Alice quipped teasingly, tipping her head towards Edward.

I didn't hear what Edward said in reply as I stood in shock, my face paling as my father whipped his head towards Edward as soon as the words passed Alice's lips.

"What do you mean by _Professor Cullen_ , Allie?" my father asked, his expression unreadable.

"He's Bella's professor in college?" Alice said warily, her eyes moving between my father and me.

" _What?!_ "

 _ **Hmmm… Someone didn't get the memo.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**This chapter is unbeta'd.**_

 _ **December 2016**_

"Isabella Marie, kitchen, _now_ ," Charlie said lowly. Still, his voice resonated throughout the whole living room as we all stared at him. Charlie stood from his seat and walked briskly towards the kitchen, his steps thumping loudly against the hardwood floors.

Alice grasped my hand tightly in hers, her eyes imploring. "Bella, I'm so sorry! I didn't know Charlie wasn't aware."

"It's fine," I consoled, "It's my fault, anyway. I should have told him before he came over here today."

Alice hugged me tightly before moving back to sit quietly with Jasper on the loveseat. I turned towards Edward as he stood, his arms wrapping around me.

"It'll be okay, baby," he whispered against my hair.

"I hope so."

"Just remember, I'm here for you, okay?" he said, tucking my hair behind my ears.

"Okay," I nodded, pressing myself closer to him.

"I love you," he whispered in my ear, the words calming me.

I pulled away from him reluctantly and walked towards the kitchen, my steps heavy as my father's form came into view. Charlie was leaning against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest, his face stoic. I walked stiffly towards the refrigerator, pulling out two cans of beer, offering one to Charlie while I popped mine open. I took three huge gulps as I watched my father from the corner of my eye, his fingers fisted tightly over the can I handed over to him. After a few seconds, my father shuffled on his feet and the pop that was emitted from the can broke the silence. I placed my beer on the counter and to turned to face my father, watching as he took a long sip.

Exhaling a loud huff, Charlie met my stare with his steely eyes. "Your professor, Bella? What were you thinking?"

"I— "

"Obviously, you weren't thinking!" Charlie interrupted, his voice booming. I winced as I was sure Edward and the others have also heard him. "How long has this been going on?"

"I told you, it's still new," I muttered, looking at the floor.

"Don't lie to me, Isabella."

"I'm not lying!" I exclaimed, my hands flailing with my frustration. "We've just started dating, like, two weeks ago."

Charlie just looked at me, disbelief all over his face. My heart fell to my gut as I realized that my dad doesn't quite believe me. "He is your professor, Bella."

" _Was_ ," I reminded him in a hard tone. "He _was_ my professor, dad."

"It doesn't matter," he quipped shaking his head.

"It matters a lot and you know it," I said, straightening my stance as I knew that Charlie wouldn't relent easily.

"Isabella, he's your professor. Don't lie to me and say that this didn't start back then," Charlie insisted, his arms crossing over his chest. "I want you to end it, now."

"No," I told him, firmly standing on my ground.

"It's not right," he muttered, taking a sip of his beer.

"What isn't? We're two consenting adults who _like_ each other very much. What's wrong with that?" Raising an eyebrow in challenge, I waited for Charlie to meet my gaze.

"He abused his power over you, Bella," he said, staring at me. "You know he did."

Faltering, I took a step back and leaned on the counter opposite Charlie. I closed my eyes and hung my head, my hands wringing together in front of me. "He didn't, dad."

"Then, tell me," he said imploringly, "What was it like back then?"

I knew exactly what my father was asking and I also knew that whatever I tell him wouldn't change his mind. Looking back, I know that Edward and I weren't really acting how a professor and his student should. The attraction was too much, too intense, but were we really the ones to blame? This thing with Edward, maybe it was a cosmic joke; something that was meant to happen, yet we had to come through a lot of twists and turns before getting together in the end.

I trailed my eyes to meet Charlie's and shook my head, defeat clearly evident in my stance. "It was complicated, dad."

"Then help me understand, Bells," my dad asked from me, his eyes pleading. "Because right now, all I can think of is _him_ taking advantage of the situation."

"Dad," I coaxed softly, reaching out to place my hand on his shoulder.

"Tell me, Bells. Otherwise… I wouldn't know what to think," he explained.

Heaving a sigh, I leaned back against the counter and told my dad how Edward and I first met. Charlie was mostly silent through the whole ordeal, though he would occasionally huff or ask questions. He would raise an eyebrow at me whenever he could sense that I was hesitant to tell him something, prompting me to proceed with my story with blazing cheeks.

"Wait," Charlie interrupted after a while, his moustache twitching below his nose, "You mean to tell me this Cullen didn't tell you that he was in a relationship?"

"No." Uncertain with where he was going with this, I eyed my father speculatively.

"Did he tell you why?" my father asked, his brows furrowing.

I briefly hesitated, but I figured that it wouldn't do Edward any good if I lied for him. "Edward thought that it would have been too much and I agree with him. It wasn't the right time then, Dad."

"And you believe that it is now?"

Growing up, my mom has always told me that I was all Charlie. From my coloring down to my stubbornness, I've inherited it all from my dad. I thought that that wasn't so bad, since I adored my father. I thought he hung the moon and the stars, and still do. Yet, as we stared at each other with our brown eyes, a contemplative etched on our faces, I feared that our strong-willed personalities will clash. I didn't shift under my father's stare regardless of the intensity behind his eyes. I held my head high and gave him all that I've got. I wasn't backing down on this.

"Dad," I started, gulping down the dryness in my throat. Unblinking, the conviction in my voice was strong. "I think… this is _it_."

"It?" All the air seemed to rush out of Charlie at the utterance of that single syllable, the lines on his forehead smoothening as his shoulders slumped.

I nodded silently at him, knowing that Charlie knew exactly what I was talking about as soon as the words left my lips.

"And you're sure?" my father confirmed, his façade of calmness destroyed by the tight grip he had on the counter behind him.

"Yes."

"Bella," he said, moving away from the counter to walk towards me. He stopped in front of me and held my gaze, his hand going to my shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"I…" trailing off, I watched as my father raised an eyebrow in question. This solidified my resolve and I focused on his face. "He's _the_ one, dad."

My father's mouth curled into a frown, his hand dropping from my shoulder. He took a step back and looked at me from under his nose. "You don't know that, Bella. You're still young, you're bound to meet other people."

"Dad," I reached out and grasped his hand tightly. "I know that it's still early, but I know deep down that it's true. This is it, dad."

My father just squeezed my hand as he looked at me with contempt in his eyes. "I just want you to be happy, Bells."

"I am," I assured him, smiling for the first time since I entered the kitchen. "Edward makes me so, _so_ happy, dad."

"I'm glad," he murmured, "I just hope that you're right, Bella. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Edward wouldn't hurt me," I said with confidence. My father just looked at me with doubt clouding his eyes.

After a few more seconds, Charlie finally nodded, his body relaxing as the tension leaves him. I sprinted forward and wrapped my arms around my father's sturdy figure. I buried my face against his chest as I felt his arms wrap around me. I let the anxiety melt away, letting myself revel in my father's arms. I've missed him the whole time I have been living in Seattle, and this Christmas was the first time I've seen him in months.

"Love you, Bells," Charlie murmured against my hair.

"Love you too, dad."

For a while, we just stood in the kitchen, hugging as we let the time pass by. Charlie slowly pulled away after some time, clearing his throat awkwardly as his gaze darted towards the doorway. I followed his gaze and was surprised to see Edward standing there with a soft smile on his face. My feet unconsciously started to move towards him but I caught myself, turning back to look at Charlie. My dad had an unreadable look on his face but he nodded towards Edward, nudging me to proceed.

"Dad, this is my _boyfriend_ , Edward Cullen," I started, reintroducing the men in my life to each other. Edward wrapped an arm around my waist as soon as he heard the word, pulling me close to his side.

"Chief Swan," Edward said, stepping forward to shake Charlie's hand. I released a sigh of relief when dad immediately took Edward's proffered hand. "Nice to meet you, sir."

"Likewise," Charlie muttered, his moustache twitching. He was being pleasant enough, but I could see the glint in his eyes and the way he was looking at Edward.

I released a sigh as I realized that my father would be watching Edward the whole day. No amount of reassurance would abate him until he would see it for himself. _I guess I'm just like my father then_.

Resigned to my fate, I tugged on Edward's hand towards the living room where Alice and her boyfriend were sitting close together, whispering quietly to each other. Alice sat up when we walked into the room, her eyes flashing between Charlie, Edward, and me. Her eyes locked on our entwined hands and she breathed a sigh of relief. Still, Alice sought out to catch my gaze and mouthed an apology. I smiled reassuringly at her and led Edward to sit on the loveseat opposite Alice's. This prompted my father to sit on the lone armchair in the middle.

For a while, there was only silence in the room as we all stared at each other. I could see Alice trying her hardest to think of a way to break the tension and Jasper silently holding her hand beside her. Edward was sitting casually beside me, his arm draped over the back of my seat and his fingers playing with the ends of my hair. Charlie was alternately looking between Edward and Jasper, his eyes sharp as he watched every movement. I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but I refrained. Instead, I turned towards Edward and gave him an indulgent smile.

"So," Alice started after a few more beats of awkwardness. "This is Jasper, my boyfriend."

I snorted at her attempt while Charlie huffed in irritation. It seems that his unfound protectiveness will extend towards Alice as well.

"Edward Cullen," Edward said, offering his hand towards Jasper. "Nice to meet you, man."

Jasper readily accepts his hand and introduced himself. Charlie watched them closely as Alice and I looked at each other.

Unable to take any more of the tension, I stood from my seat and looked pointedly at Alice.

"I'll start lunch," I announced as I brushed the wrinkles from my blouse. "Alice?"

"Yup," she shot up straight, jostling Jasper and the couch.

We walked quickly towards the kitchen, both looking over our shoulders towards the guys. They remained where we left them, bathed in an uncomfortable silence. I started pulling out the ingredients that I needed from the refrigerator once we stepped into the kitchen while Alice prepped the counter. We worked silently for a while, the only sounds in the room were the slicing of the knives through the meat and the clanging of pots.

"Bella, I'm so sorry about earlier," Alice whispered after a while. "I didn't know that Charlie wasn't aware of how you first met Edward."

"It's alright," I murmured, turning to look at her and offered her a small smile. "We talked it out and I think Charlie just needed some time to process it."

"He'll come around," she encouraged, bumping me playfully with her hip.

"I hope so," I told her, although I get the feeling that my father would come around someday.

"Anyway," Alice started, her tone lightening. "I noticed that Edward is here early."

I blushed at her words, my hands faltering as I set the knife aside. "Yeah, he stayed the night."

"Well, that was fast," Alice teased, smirking at me. "And here I thought that my dear Bella would make him work for it."

"Alice!" I hissed, blushing further. "He literally just slept over."

"Hmm, did he?" she asked a bit tauntingly.

"Yes," I reiterated. "We didn't do anything. We're waiting, you know."

Alice snorted. "For what?"

I rolled my eyes at her and picked up the knife again. "I told Edward that I love him."

"Really?" she snuck in a deep breath and turned to face me. "And?"

"Ali, he told me he loves me too," I sighed dreamily.

Alice grabbed my shoulders and quickly turned me to face her. Luckily, I reacted swiftly and dropped the knife on the board before I stabbed her. She hugged me tightly while she muffled her squeals against my shoulder.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so happy for you!"

"Alright, alright," I patted her back, laughing against her shoulder. Alice stepped back and held me at arm's length.

"I'm so glad that this worked out for you, Bella," she said sweetly, her face holding a gentle smile.

"Me too," I whispered, grinning at her.

We were interrupted by a throat clearing on the doorway, and as Alice released me, we both turned to see Charlie standing there awkwardly.

"Is there anything I could do to help?" he asked, pushing back against the wall.

"We can manage," I told him softly. "Why don't you go watch some TV with the guys?"

"Eh," Charlie simply said, shrugging his shoulders and started to pick on the vegetables Alice has chopped.

"Dad," I groaned, tempted to swat at his hand.

"What?" he asked, having the audacity to act innocent. "They were talking about some yahoo and I don't know who that is."

"Who?" Alice asked, clearly confused.

"Some Snow guy or something, I don't know."

I laughed at that and just ordered my dad to stir the pot. We worked quickly with three pairs of hands and soon, our lunch was ready. Jasper and Edward had offered to set the table and I quickly obliged, thrilled that they seem to be getting along. Alice and I put the finishing touches on our meal while Charlie wandered along to join the guys.

Walking out of the kitchen as I balanced the platter of chicken in my hands, I noticed that the guys have done a wonderful job of setting up the table, while my father sits at the head of the table. I threw Edward a grateful smile as he walked towards me and relieved my arms of the heavy platter. Alice quickly followed behind me as she carried the pot roast, the delicious aroma permeating the whole dining area. We quickly settled in our seats, all coupled up except for Charlie. After saying a short prayer of gratitude, we all dug in.

"This is good," Charlie said after few bites. "Good job, girls."

"Thanks, Charlie," Alice said, smiling towards my father.

"So, Edward," dad started after a few more bites, "I heard you were my daughter's professor back in college."

"Dad," I admonished quietly, throwing Edward an apologetic glance.

"Bella, it's fine," Edward assured me, squeezing my knee under the table. Turning to my father, he straightened his shoulder before addressing him. "Yes, sir. I _was_."

Charlie hummed and raised an eyebrow, obviously unprepared by the response Edward gave him. "And now? What do you do now?"

"I was planning on to going back to teaching, sir."

"Really?" Charlie asked, a glint of something shining in his eyes. "Back to teaching, you say? Why?"

"It's what I love to do," Edward simply shrugged, leaving my father bewildered. I grinned widely at the man sitting beside me, extremely proud that he didn't let my father drag him around.

Dad seemed to have recovered quickly as he awkwardly cleared his throat. Alice was beaming at me from across the table, clearly elated that Edward had stood up against Charlie.

"Well, let's just hope that you don't meet an attractive student," dad muttered under his breath, rendering us speechless.

" _Dad_!"

"Charlie!"

Jasper stared at us wide-eyed, his spoon hovering comically in front of his mouth. I risked a glance towards Edward to see him calmly eating his chicken as if all was right in the world. Charlie was looking pale as he stared at me with his mouth agape. Alice was clearly fuming; her face was blazing as she stared at Charlie in shock. Silence descended upon the whole room, the five of us quiet except for the quiet clanking of Edward's fork against the plate. I gulped down lungful of air into my dry throat before I turned to face my father, my shoulders tensing as I prepared to confront him.

I cleared my throat and stared into his disbelieving brown eyes, my lips thinning into a scowl. "You crossed a line, dad."

"I know," he nodded, looking down on his plate. After a while, he looked up and turned to face Edward. "I'm sorry, son. I shouldn't have said that."

"It's alright, sir," Edward said quietly beside me. My head whipped towards him, my mouth opening to protest.

"It's not okay, Edward," I told him firmly.

"Really, Bella-"

"No." Crossing my arms across my chest, I met his determined green eyes. "It's not alright for my father to say that to you. He had no right to assume such thing."

"I understand," Edward told me softly, "But please understand that I don't want to make a big deal out of it, Bella."

"Not make a big deal out of it?" I reiterated, my barely concealing my exasperation. "He's insulting you to your face!"

"Do you believe it?" Edward asked, facing me fully. He held on tightly to my hands, resting them on his lap. "Do you think I would do it?"

I searched his eyes, seeing nothing but genuine honesty in them. "No, I _know_ you won't do it."

"Then that's it," he murmured, leaning closer to press his forehead against mine. "It doesn't matter, baby."

I closed my eyes as Edward pressed a soft kiss against my lips, letting the world fall away around us. He cupped his hands gently around my face, bringing my lips closer to his. I brought my hands to wrap around his neck, wounding my fingers on the short hairs on his neck as he nibbled on my bottom lip.

"Okay, I get it. That's enough, Bella," Charlie grumbled on my right, nudging my knee with his foot.

I slowly disentangled myself from Edward, glaring at my father as I settled in my seat.

"Edward," dad called, looking beseechingly at him. "I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. It was inappropriate of me and I promise that it won't happen again."

"It's okay, sir," Edward said, briefly looking at me before turning his attention towards my father. "Please just know that I would never do that to Bella, regardless of how I acted when we first met."

"What's done is done," Charlie murmured, looking between Edward and me. "I just hope that you stand by your word. I just don't want to see my daughter hurt."

"I won't," Edward promised, looking straight at Charlie. "I love your daughter, sir, and I plan to do it for a very long time."

Charlie hummed at that, eyeing the tiny distance between Edward and me before he turned towards his plate again. Alice and Jasper were watching our exchange with rapt attention but had followed Charlie's lead and started eating again. We spent the rest of the meal talking quietly amongst ourselves, the guys getting to know each other while Alice and I caught up with my dad. Time passed as we all reacquainted ourselves, telling stories and laughing about the past few months although I could tell that there was still some hesitation between my dad and Edward.

I hope that it would pass over soon, though. Because I plan to have Edward in my life for a very, _very_ long time.

 _ **AN:**_

 _ **So, Charlie was being difficult. I'd love to hear what you think.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading!**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**This chapter is unbeta'd.**_

 _ **December 2016**_

"Let's open presents!" Alice exclaimed as she shoved the dishwasher closed.

I looked towards Edward, wanting to ask for his opinion.

"Sounds good," he said, smiling at me before turning to Alice. "You girls go ahead, I'll just finish the rest."

"Are you sure?" I asked, wiping my hands with a washcloth.

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll be right there soon."

"Alright," I said, stepping closer to him and stood on my toes to press a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks."

Edward smiled at me before he gently nudged me towards the living room's direction. I looked back to the counter to check if we've left anything behind before I followed Alice as she practically skipped to the living room.

My dad and Jasper were quietly speaking on the couch, their heads snapping up at our entrance. My dad had a shit-eating grin on his face while Jasper was looking a bit miserably pale, trying his hardest as he craned his head to look behind us.

"Where's Edward?" Jasper asked, moving on the couch to step away from Charlie. I eyed my dad warily as he tried to suppress a laugh.

"Just finishing up in the kitchen," I said, sitting on the loveseat opposite them. Charlie moved to his seat earlier while Alice stepped from behind me and headed straight for her boyfriend.

"What's going on?" she asked as she settled on the couch. She looked between Charlie and Jasper both neither would meet her eyes.

"Oh, we were just talking," Charlie said nonchalantly. "Right, son?"

Jasper gulped audibly and paled, his eyes looking anywhere but at my dad. My brow furrowed and I focused more on Charlie's impassive face, taking notice of the lilt of smugness edging at the corners of his mouth. I narrowed my eyes at my dad as _he_ refused to meet my gaze, his eyes jumping around the room instead. Smirking, I realized that it was Jasper's turn to be grilled by my dad. He treats Alice as if she was his own daughter too so it was only natural that he'd try his best to intimidate Jasper. I just hope that Jasper wouldn't budge.

Alice seemed concerned enough for the two of us that I let myself be totally distracted when Edward reemerged from the kitchen after a while. He quickly went to sit beside me on the couch, his arm automatically draping over my shoulders. From the corner of my eye, I could see my father watching us closely. I paid him no attention, instead, I cuddled closer to Edward until my side was pressed firmly against his. Alice started to hand out the presents under the tree until everyone had a small pile of gifts on their laps.

"Alright," she started, clapping her hands excitedly, "Charlie, you go first."

"Okay," my dad muttered, picking up my gift for him, which was probably the most obvious one. "This one's from Bella. Thank you, kiddo."

I nodded my assent to him and watched as he tore through the wrapper in rapid speed until the box beneath was visible. He held up the carrier for his new fly fishing rod, examining the container before opening it and pulling out the rod itself and turning it around in his hands.

"Okay, Bella, you're next," Alice told me. I obliged her and picked up a medium-sized box from the bottom of my pile.

The box was quite heavy, so placed it on the coffee table in front of me and lifted the lid. Inside were some of the newly released books from my favorite author, with scarves littered at the bottom. I have a feeling that I knew who gave this to me but I still checked the gift tag tacked on the lid.

Smirking, I turned to my father. "Thanks for this, dad."

Alice proceeded to open a gift from her pile before urging Jasper to follow after her. When it was Edward's turn, I felt the flutter of butterflies in my stomach when I saw that he was reaching for my gift. I suddenly felt nervous of his reaction to it, and I wanted to stall but one look at Alice and I could tell that she somehow knew what exactly was on my mind.

"Go on," Alice insisted, watching with rapt attention as Edward opened the paper bag.

I held my breath as he gently picked up the box, his eyes swiftly moving towards my direction as soon as my gift came in to view.

"Wow," Alice whispered across from us.

It seems that Edward was waiting for me to give him permission to proceed, so I nodded at him. He quickly flipped open the lid to reveal the classic wristwatch. I heard a low whistle coming from either of the men seated opposite us but I didn't raise my head to see whom it came from. My eyes were glued to Edward's face, nervously waiting for his reaction.

"Oh, wow," Edward whispered as he gazed at the watch. "Bella, this is… wow."

I blushed as Edward pinned me with his green eyes, the intensity behind them igniting the reddening of my cheeks.

"Thank you," he told me, leaning in to press a soft kiss against my lips.

"You're welcome," I murmured, looking up at him from under my lashes. My blush hasn't abated yet, and when Edward gave me his winning smile, I thought my face would explode.

"Okay, now I can't top that," Alice murmured under hear breath, breaking the spell. Everyone laughed and the mood lightened. We proceeded with the gift opening until we only have one gift left in our laps. I knew that the one I have left was from Edward, and I was giddy to open it.

The illustrious blue box that came into view caused my breath to catch in my throat, my fingers suddenly shaky as I placed the box on my lap. Warily, my gaze met Edward's and he smiled encouragingly at me. I swallowed inaudibly and pulled on the ribbon, watching as it slowly fell away.

Inside the box was this gorgeous silver bracelet with a Sodalite charm. A small gasp left my lips as I stared at the bracelet, my mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out. Everyone around me was quiet, the only sound that could be heard in the room was the faint noises coming from the streets below. I couldn't tear my gaze away from the box, my eyes inherently glued to the blue gemstone.

"It's so pretty," I murmured, my pointer finger caressing the stone.

"Do you like it?" Edward asked huskily.

I turned towards him, his face a hairsbreadth away from mine. I could feel the warmth emanating from his skin as our eyes locked. Edward was looking at me with a watchful gaze, as if he was holding his breath for my reaction.

"I love it," I told him honestly, beaming as the grin broke out on his face. "Thank you, Edward."

"You're welcome, baby," he said before pressing another kiss to my lips. "Here, let me help you put it on."

I held my hand out towards Edward and watched as he clasped the silver bracelet around my wrist, the material cold against my skin. The gemstone was quite a contrast against my pale skin, yet, the rich coloring somehow complements it. I twisted my arm to this angle and that, admiring as the stone rolled around. I looked up at Edward and smiled at him again, unable to express how much I adore and appreciate his gift.

Instead, I threw my arms around his neck and pulled myself closer to his chest, my mouth opening to take his bottom lip between mine. I momentarily forgot our company until a distinctly familiar throat clearing reverberated throughout the room. Blushing wildly, I withdrew from Edward's embrace and settled on the spot beside him. I briefly looked around to see my dad's disapproving gaze thrown my way before I looked down to my lap. My eyes remained down as the others continued to open their presents, their murmurs of thanks barely registering in my mind as I distracted myself by playing with Edward and I's entwined fingers.

"Hey, Bella, can I borrow your charger?" Alice interrupted. I looked up at her to see that she was picking up the discarded wrappers on the floor. "I forgot mine at Jasper's."

Nodding, I picked some balled up wrappers on the way before I went to my room and began searching for my charger. I was bent over the side of my bed, my arm wedged between the headboard and the wall, when I felt someone come into the room.

"The charger's stuck between the wall and the headboard, Al. I don't even know how it got there," I told her, not even bothering to turn around to face her.

"Do you like some help?"

"Oh!" I yanked my arm from the space between the wall and the headboard in my surprise, my skin scraping against the edge of the bed. That deep masculine voice definitely doesn't belong to Alice.

Clutching my arm against my chest, I spun around to see Edward leaning against the doorframe, an amused grin curving on his lips. I narrowed my eyes at him as I noticed the closed bedroom door, and the smirk he threw my way didn't help my erratic heart. Slowly, he stalked towards me, his gait predatory as the heat in his eyes intensified. I backed away from him until the back of my knees hit the mattress, prompting me to fall on my bed. I sat up quickly as Edward continued to his approach, his green eyes locked on my face.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice breathless as the excitement bubbled up inside the room.

Edward simply shrugged, his steps never wavering. He continued advancing towards me until he stood between my slightly parted legs, his eyes looking down at me.

I watched his every move as he raised a hand and cupped my cheek, his fingers tucking my wayward hair behind my ear. I leaned towards his touch and closed my eyes, my heart fluttering in my chest as sparks of humming electricity from Edward's touch shot up and down my spine. My skin felt warm from where Edward's palm rested against my face, his fingers stroking my closed eyelids and my cheekbone. I relished the moment of silence, feeling the tension from this morning's drama leave my body.

It felt like it had been a lifetime since I've told Edward I love him, even when it was only just this morning. We should have just stayed in bed, Christmas be damned. Obviously, I have the worst timing when it comes to the matters of the heart. I couldn't have just waited for tomorrow to tell him that I love him, I had to just do it the same day that he was meeting my father for the first time. It's like Edward wasn't already pressured enough, right?

Sighing, I opened my eyes to see that Edward was already looking at me. This up close, I could see the flecks of gold in his irises. Completely mesmerized, I didn't notice that I was leaning in until our noses bumped. Edward smiled at me although his eyes were trained on my lips. I bit on my bottom lip hesitantly and it elicited a groan from Edward. The sound rumbled in the tiny space between us and sent shivers down my spine. Slowly, Edward bent to catch my lip between his, his teeth nibbling gently on the plump flesh. I moaned at the contact and Edward took this opportunity to press his tongue against mine. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer, my fingers settling on the hairs on his nape. I leaned back to lie on my bed with Edward quickly following me. I hitched my legs around his hips as he settled against me, all while our mouths were moving in an erotic dance. Edward firmly gripped me around the waist to still my movements as his tongue languidly dominated my mouth. I settled my squirming a bit as I let my hands trace lazy circles across Edward's back. Our pace had considerably calmed; going from practically pawing each other to leisure touches.

We broke apart after a while and Edward's lips automatically moved to pepper kisses along my neck. I clenched my eyes shut as I let the feeling overwhelm me, my breath coming out in pants against his ear. I could feel his hands inching up my ribs, coming dangerously close to the undersides of my bra. I silently tilted my torso towards his wandering hands to urge him to move, but it seems like Edward was content at where he was. Releasing a sigh, I combed my fingers through his bronze locks and relaxed in his embrace. I let the sensation of Edward's mouth on my skin dissipate me into a pile of goo on my bed, my eyes closing as the feeling overwhelms me.

Eventually, Edward brought his lips back to mine but this kiss was more tender, _softer_ , from the ones we shared earlier. His hands left their place on my ribs and moved to clasp my face in his hands. I slowly opened my eyes to see him watching me with a gentle look on his face, as if I was the most precious thing he's ever seen.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered, his warm breath washing over my face.

"I love you," I told him, my left hand brushing a lock from his face.

Smiling widely, he rolled us to our sides and prompted me to turn my back to his chest. Pulling me closer, we snuggled in my bed with Edward's arms wrapped around my middle. I was starting to drift off to sleep after a few minutes, my eyes suddenly heavy. Edward's even breathing against my temple was soothing my mind, ridding me of the events from the morning. I cuddled closer against his chest as his arms wound tighter around me, merging our bodies so tightly that I could feel the steady beat of Edward's heart on my back. Closing my eyes, I released a contented sigh and let myself be swept away.

I was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness when I felt Edward pull away slightly. I looked over my shoulder to see him getting out of bed, his hair sticking out in a disarray. He seemed distracted as he was patting his pockets, his brows furrowing into a frown as his hands came up empty.

"Edward?"

"Oh, hey," he said, looking a bit surprised to see me awake. "Did I wake you?"

"No," I told him, a bit skeptical. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he assured me, leaning down to kiss my forehead. "I just remembered that Alice sent me here to help you look for that charger since she knows that you tend to misplace it at times."

"Oh, okay," I nodded, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. "It's wedged between the headboard and the wall, actually."

"Yeah, you've mentioned that earlier," he chuckled, moving to stand beside the bed.

Edward quickly retrieved the charger behind the headboard and dangled it in front of my face teasingly. I laughed at him and tried to swat him away but he moved fast, chuckling as he moved towards the door.

"Wait," I called out, swinging my legs out of the bed, "I'll come with you."

"Maybe you should get some rest," Edward suggested instead. "You've been working since early this morning. Your dad and the rest would understand."

"That sounds good," I murmured as I sat back on the bed again. "You'll wake me in an hour?"

"Sure," he nodded, looking over at me as he reached for the doorknob.

Silence enveloped the room as Edward closed the door behind him. I lay back on the bed, resituating myself as I settled under the covers. Something hard was poking my back and when I reached under me, a smooth rectangular surface met my touch. I pulled it beneath me and brought it close to my face.

Edward's phone.

This was what he must have been looking for earlier. I figured that it fell from his pocket when we were otherwise, _ehem_ , occupied. I moved to put it on my bedside table to give it to him later but it pinged, its screen lighting up to notify that it received a message. I honestly wasn't about to take a peak, but my eye caught the sender's name and I suddenly couldn't help myself. My hand was hovering on my bedside table with the screen facing me, and my eyes were already eating up the words without my consent.

 _ **Hey, Edward.**_

 _ **Merry Christmas xx**_

It was from Kate. I was frozen in my place, my eyes running over the words repeatedly as I tried to reason with myself. It was normal, right? For someone, an _ex_ -girlfriend, to greet you on a holiday. I was tempted to open his phone and see if there were any more messages but I don't want to do that to Edward. With shaking fingers, I placed the phone on the bedside table, face down, and pulled the covers tighter around me. I turned my back to the table and let my thoughts consume me. It was the worst whenever I doubt myself, especially when I come face to face with some damning evidence.

The truckload of insecurities was bubbling up again, and this time, they're barraging me with images that I would rather not see. Edward has told me that he loves me, and I believe him, but what do I have against an almost decade-long relationship? Edward and Kate have history; all the good times and even the bad ones, I won't be able to compete with it. Sighing, I shut my eyes tight and willed sleep to come to me. At least a reprieve from the onslaught of my thoughts would be appreciated. But it seems that an escape was not meant for me as I lie awake in my bed, my mind coming up with reasons and excuses.

Edward wouldn't have changed his mind, would he? Not that fast, at least I hope so. Maybe there's an explanation for this, after all.

I could hear the muffled laughter and voices coming from the living room. As much as I want to join them and just forget everything that happened after Edward left my room, I don't think I could do it. Not this soon, anyway. I was still a bit frazzled, and I highly doubt that either Edward or Alice, or even my dad, wouldn't notice it. I'd ask Edward about it soon but not while there were others I would have to pretend for.

I let the silence of the room envelope me, my thoughts gradually receding until I was left with nothing. The faint sounds of voices from the other room were all I could hear now, although they have also quieted considerably. I strained to make out Edward's voice but Alice was the loudest as usual. I remained where I was, lying down on my side with my back turned towards the door. Soon, I heard the creaking of the door as it opened. I held my breath as I waited for Edward to approach me.

Soon, I felt his hand reach out for me, his long fingers wrapping around my shoulder.

"Bella?"

I turned at the sound, trying my hardest to mask the turmoil boiling inside. His face held no other emotion than tranquility, no hint of deceit nor any pretenses present. I released a breath I didn't know I was holding, and my chest felt lighter somehow.

"Hey," I smiled lightly at him as I sit up.

His eyes roamed all over my face before he broke out into a grin, the dimple on his chin prominent as his smile got wider. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Yeah," I murmured equivocally, my eyes unconsciously moving towards the bedside table.

I looked up towards Edward to see that he saw where my gaze went and followed it, a frown marring his features as he saw his phone.

"I found it on the bed," I explained, "It was poking me in the back. You must have dropped it earlier."

Edward nodded at me, his eyes trained on the screen. I saw the moment he read Kate's message because his eyes widened comically before flying towards my face. He was gauging my reaction but I was giving him nothing.

"You've seen Kate's message."

It wasn't a question, so I merely shrugged at him. His eyes never left my face even as he sat down beside me, his hand reaching out to hold mine. He squeezed my fingers softly, trying to get my attention. I looked at him and waited.

"It's nothing, Bella," he said, pocketing the phone.

"If you say so," I murmured, looking down.

"Bella," he called, urging me to meet his eyes again. "What do I have to say to make you believe me when I say that it's over with Kate?"

"I don't know," I whispered, despair evident in my tone. "It's not like I want to feel insecure about this every time, okay?"

"Insecure? Bella, I came back for you," Edward said, the timbre of his voice clearing. "You're the one I want, isn't that clear enough?"

"Then why did she text you?" I asked, searching his eyes. "Do you still talk?"

"It's probably just an off-hand gesture on her part," he surmised, "And no, I haven't talked to her since I left Chicago."

The tension in my body completely dissipated at his words, but there was still a tiny part of me that was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I hope that it will disappear in time.

Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder and brought me to his side. I sagged against his warmth in relief, my eyes closing as I let myself revel in the comfort of Edward's embrace.

"I hope you understand that that part of my life is over," he whispered against my hair. "My life is here now, with _you_. I love you, Bella, and I'll do whatever it takes to make you truly see it."

I pulled away from him and cupped his dear face. "I love you too."

"That's good," Edward grinned. "Really good."

Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to my lips that made me forget almost every doubt I had about this, about us. Hopefully in time, I'd be able to be as in the moment as Edward was, with no insecurities lingering in the back of my mind.

Because as he has pointed out time and time again, it was me that he wanted.

He came back for me.

 _ **AN: It's winding down, guys. Just the next chapter and an epilogue.**_

 _ **I know that some of you may have wanted for Edward and Bella to talk more about the Kate thing, but I figured that it's all in the past, not meaning that they should just forget all about it, but to come to an understanding about it and just move on. And also because I don't want this story to be as 'angsty' as Home was, which pissed off a lot of people.**_

 _ **Anyway, let me hear your thoughts :)**_

 _ **As always, thank you for reading!**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**This chapter is unbeta'd.**_

 _ **December 31, 2016**_

The days practically flew by as the year comes to a close. My dad came home the next day after Christmas, which meant that Edward and I weren't able to have another sleepover. The look my dad threw our way when I walked Edward to the door was enough to dismiss any ideas we might have so I quietly relented. After all, we'd have more days to spend together than I do with my dad anyway.

That night, Charlie and I spent the night in my apartment just watching old movies and lounging on the couch. We didn't talk much, and he didn't ask about Edward again, nor did he bring up the subject of the first time we first met. Regardless of how much I wanted him to like Edward, I wasn't about to push him to the idea either. I figured that my dad would come around once he saw how much Edward makes me happy. Because he does, he really, _really_ does.

Edward and I had also come to an understanding about the life he left in Chicago; specifically, about Kate. He's assured me that he doesn't want her anymore and I'm starting to believe it. He told me that although his decade-long history with her will always be a part of his life, he has already moved past it. Because that was all it was, _history_. He can't change it but he can make new memories with me, and I wholeheartedly agree. Timing wasn't on our side then, but now, it feels like it finally is.

My life was at peace, at last. The things I've always wanted had somehow fallen into my lap and that one person I've always dreamed about had come back for me. It seems that I couldn't have asked for more, and I don't think that there's any more I could hope for anyway. The universe has come through for me, and it's better than anything I've dreamed of. Life was good, even better than I could have ever asked for.

Donning my black sparkly dress and killer heels, I swiped the red lipstick across my lips before fluffing my hair again as I appraised myself in the mirror. The New Year's Eve party Alice has invited Edward and me to was on the Pacific Science Center, a 30-minute drive from my place. Edward and I have decided that he'd pick me up at my apartment and grab a quick dinner before heading off to the party. Alice had insisted that we should all come together but I put my foot down knowing that she only wants to dress me up and I wasn't down for that. A look to the clock hanging on the wall tells me that Edward would be here any second, so I dashed to my room and grabbed the tiny purse Alice has loaned me for the night. I shoved my phone and wallet in it just as the doorbell rang.

I looked around to make sure that I haven't left anything important before heading for the door.

"Always on time," I smiled as I opened the door to reveal Edward's grin.

"I'm nothing if not punctual," he quipped, leaning down to press a kiss on my lips. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I said, stepping out into the hallway. I locked the door behind me and caught Edward's waiting hand.

Entwining our fingers, Edward led me towards the stairs and out of the building. The air was chilly and I burrowed further into my coat as Edward brought me closer to his side. His hand was rubbing up and down my arm as he tried to bring me warmth. I smiled up at him and leaned closer, my arm wrapping around his waist as we huddled together in the streets.

"The restaurant isn't too far away, or do you want to catch a cab instead?"

"Maybe we could catch that cab," I whispered, feeling my bones shake as the wind blew.

"Okay, you're freezing," Edward said, wrapping his arm tighter around my shoulder as he hailed a cab.

We stood there for a while, the busy streets of Seattle bustling around us as we waited for a cab. It took us a few minutes, maybe fifteen or so, before a cab stopped in front of us. Edward quickly gave the address of our destination, and as soon as the driver nodded, we hopped into the backseat and huddled closer.

Reaching over, Edward engulfed my hands in both of his and started to rub them gently. The surprising warmth that was emanating from his skin was soothing, not to mention that they were bringing back the feeling to my cold skin. I pressed myself closer to him and burrowed my face against his chest.

"Cold?" Edward murmured against my temple, his warm breath washing over my face.

"It's fine," I told him despite the shiver that was running down my spine.

Edward simply hummed at me as he hugged me tighter to his body, his hands now running down my arms to share his heat with me. He would occasionally press a kiss against my hair or nuzzle it, but other than that, we remained silent as we got lost in our own minds.

My mind was surprisingly calm, despite all the tumultuous thoughts that have plagued me in the past. Maybe it was because I am now at peace with where life has taken me, or maybe just because I'm perfectly content being in Edward's arms. I figured that it doesn't matter anyway. I'm happy with the person I love the most and for me, that's the best thing there ever was. Sighing, I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder and closed my eyes, letting his even breaths to calm me to sleep. The traffic in the city was quite heavy given that it was the New Year's Eve, so it took an almost an hour before we arrived in front of Bambino's. Rousing me from my light slumber, Edward peppered kisses along my skin until my eyes fluttered open.

"We're here," he whispered, his lips brushing my forehead.

Edward quickly handed the driver a few bills before assisting me in getting out of the cab, his hand steadily gripping my waist as I stepped out.

We walked into the restaurant and were thankfully seated at once. We ordered a pepperoni pizza to share and waited for a short time as our order was being prepared. Once it was delivered to our table, we quickly dug in, with only some bits of conversation passing our lips. We were done eating in record time and I stood from my seat as Edward placed some bills on the table.

We have decided earlier that we would walk to the Pacific Science Center from here since it was only a ten-minute stroll anyway. So, hand in hand, we walked the streets of Seattle as we talked quietly amongst ourselves. The other partygoers seemed to have the same thought in mind as we were not alone in our journey. Some of the people who were clustered in groups were laughing raucously while some of those in pairs had their heads close together like Edward and me. Soon, we were rounding the corner towards the museum's entrance and I could see that a lot of people were already waiting inside the premises.

I pulled out my phone from my purse as Edward and I walked closer to the entrance with the intention of calling Alice. But before I could unlock the screen, I heard her voice calling for us.

"Bella, Edward!"

I looked towards the direction of her voice to see Alice ambling towards us in her sky-high heels. It was amusing, and quite shocking, that Alice's voice carried over the loud surroundings, but I have to remind myself that it was Alice so it should not have surprised me in the least. She was waving her arms above her head to catch our attention but she should have known that it wasn't necessary at all, because she got it the moment she opened her mouth. Tugging on my hand, Edward led me to where Alice was standing.

"Finally!" Alice exclaimed. "We've been waiting for you two for forever."

"Well, hello to you too, my dear friend." Quirking an eyebrow, I suppressed the chuckle that wanted to come out at Alice's irritated expression.

"Stop being a smartass, Bella," she chided as she pulled me into a quick hug. "Hello, Professor."

I groaned at her ear as she teased Edward over my shoulder.

"Hello, Alice," Edward said politely, although I could see that he was fighting off a smirk.

"Okay," Alice started, pulling away from me, "We should head inside. I don't know how long Jasper could hold our table all by himself."

Letting Alice lead, Edward and I trailed behind her with our hands clasped tightly between us. Alice flashed our tickets at the entrance before leading us to the second floor of the building. Soon, we entered the main area for the party and I was surprised to see that the place was almost packed. We walked farther into the room and the smattering of people around us were already getting quite rowdy although it was still quite tame compared to the other parties I've been to. Still, Edward released my hand and pulled his arm around my shoulders instead. I looked around us to see the various types of activities the museum offers for entertainment tonight. The interactive exhibits look fun and the display and decorations were eye-catching.

Alice led us to a table near the back of the room, which was aptly close to the bar. Jasper's blond hair was visible above the crowd and as soon as we were some mere feet away, Alice practically sprinted and tackled him. I could hear his laughter above the noise and I smiled for my friend, happy that she seemingly found what she was looking for.

Tugging on my arm, Edward pulled me closer to his chest and pressed a kiss on my forehead. I smiled wider at the gesture and wrapped my arms around his waist. We swayed to the music for a while before pulling apart to face Alice and Jasper. The former was grinning knowingly at us while Jasper donned a polite smile on his face.

"Hello, Edward, Bella," Jasper greeted as he stepped forward. He pressed a kiss to my cheek before shaking Edward's hand.

We exchanged pleasantries for a while before Alice pulled Jasper towards one of the exhibits. I watched them for a while before turning my attention back to Edward who was holding my hand above the table.

"Hi," he grinned as he caught my attention.

I blushed under his gaze and smiled, my eyes trailing all over his face. The lights display was casting shadows across Edward's profile and my breath was catching in my throat at how handsome he was. Sometimes, like now, I still can't believe that this beautiful man wants me.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, his eyelashes sweeping across his cheekbones as he looked at me from under his lashes.

The playful grin on his lips had clued me in on his teasing tone, but my heart still stuttered in my chest. I opened my mouth a few times but no sound would come out.

I was officially rendered speechless by his beauty.

"Bella?" Edward called after a few more seconds, concern tinging his tone.

I blinked rapidly and shook my head to clear my thoughts, my eyes moving to stare at our entwined hands. I felt Edward's finger on my chin, tilting my face up before I registered the movement.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing's wrong," I assured him, "It's just… God, you're _so_ handsome."

Warmth raced to my cheeks as soon as the words escaped my lips and I watched as Edward's grin got wider. I fought the urge to squirm in my seat and met his green eyes.

"You're the beautiful one," he whispered as he leaned closer. Pressing a kiss against my lips, I opened my mouth and licked at his bottom lip, earning a deep groan from Edward. I smiled against his mouth as he started to pull away.

I smiled devilishly at him, watching as he looked at me with hunger in his eyes.

"Bella, stop teasing," he chided as he pinched my thigh lightly. I yelped and pulled away from him, my back hitting the table.

I was trapped between Edward and the table behind me, his predatory eyes making me gulp loudly. He stalked towards me until my legs were pressed against his hips, the heat emanating from my skin undoubtedly touching him. I watched with my heart beating wildly in my chest as Edward skimmed his hands along the exposed skin of my thighs, the touch sending a tingling sensation to the throbbing ache between my legs. My mouth was incredibly dry as our eyes met; the green of his gaze almost black with lust.

Slowly, I leaned towards him and wrapped my arms around his neck, inevitably bringing him closer to me. My lips found his ear and licked at his lobe which another deep rumble from Edward's throat.

"Would you like to stay the night at my apartment?"

Edward dropped his head to my shoulder, his nose nuzzling my collarbone. "Yes, absolutely."

I smirked at his words, and thankfully, Edward didn't see the smug look on my face. I kissed his jaw before pulling away from him, my hands going to cup his face. I placed a swift kiss on his lips before leaning back on the table behind me.

"Later, then?" I asked, a knowing look on my face.

"Oh, definitely," he whispered, his eyes never leaving my lips.

I shivered under his gaze and as Edward smiled smugly, I could feel the blood rushing to my face. He chuckled lowly at that and I felt that my blush reddened further. Edward traced his finger across my blazing cheek, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake.

"I'll get you something at the bar to cool down, baby," he whispered in my ear, his lips probably deliberately brushing across my skin.

I nodded mutely at him and watched as he maneuvered his way to the mobile bar. I looked around me and noticed that some of the women were looking at Edward's direction, causing a flare of jealousy to rise in my chest. I narrowed my eyes at the ladies who were practically salivating at the sight of Edward, I mean, I get it. _He's hot_ , but he obviously came in with someone else. I get that I could easily be overlooked but come on, Edward was almost attached to my hip the whole half hour we've been here.

Rolling my eyes, I directed my attention towards the dance floor. I watched as the crowd danced to the rhythm, some in pairs and the others in groups. The ones who were obviously in pairs were quite indecent, some downright grinding against each other. I blushed as I imagined Edward and me in that position, so close to each other without inhibitions. I was lost in thought as I was watching the people gyrating on each other that I didn't notice Edward's return. Not until he was standing in front of me and was trailing the cold glass against my skin anyway.

"What the-"

"Hey," Edward chuckled as he moved the drink on my exposed thigh.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I eyed the glass in his hand.

"Getting your attention," he said cheekily, "Seems like someone else has it."

"What? No." Shaking my head, I turned to fully face Edward. I immediately took note of the hint of teasing on his face, letting me know that he wasn't the least bit threatened that I might set my eyes on someone else.

"Are you sure?" he smirked, nudging my leg as he sat down on the stool beside me.

"Of course," I quipped.

Edward looked at me for a moment before handing me the drink in his hands. "Here."

I eyed the gin and tonic for a while, contemplating if I should take it. I looked towards Edward's other empty hand and raised an eyebrow in question.

"I'll get one later," he said, pushing the glass in my hands. "Seems like you need it more than I do, anyway."

I accepted the drink he was offering and took a big gulp, swallowing quickly as the alcohol touched my tongue. I drained the glass in three huge gulps, handing Edward the empty glass as soon as I was done.

"More?"

"No," I shook my head, my hand wiping the escaped alcohol on the corner of my mouth. "I'll get one with you later."

"Alright," he said, placing the glass on the table behind us.

I noticed that some women were still looking at us, well at _Edward_ specifically, so I listened to my primal urge and placed a hand dangerously high on Edward's thigh. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Edward was taken aback by my sudden movement but he didn't seem to mind. In fact, he moved closer to me, his hand going to my back to play with the ends of my hair. I smiled smugly at that and looked towards one girl who was eyeing Edward from across the room. Her eyes were trained on my hand on Edward and she was scowling, completely ignoring the man who was standing beside her.

I laughed loudly, which caused Edward to turn to face me fully.

"What's so funny?"

I shook my head at him as I moved my hand to his knee, squeezing the muscle as I go.

"Come on," he urged, leaning closer, "Tell me."

"That girl had been eyeing you since the moment we entered the room," I murmured, titling my head towards her direction. "Didn't you notice?"

"No," he said, brushing his lips across my cheek. "You're the only one I see, Bella."

I blushed under his gaze and turned my head to capture his lips in a kiss. Edward quickly bit on my bottom lip, eliciting a low moan from me.

"I can't wait to get you home," he breathed out as his hand caressed my thigh.

"Oh, god," I gasped, my skin tingling from where Edward touched me.

He captured my lips in another searing kiss, leaving me breathless and dazed. The world around us ceased to exist as Edward kept up with his ministrations. Edward slid his hand higher up my thigh, but it still wasn't enough. I want him where I was hot and I know that he won't oblige me, not right now anyway.

 _Tonight_ , he whispered against my lips as I squirmed in my seat, seeking out his mouth when he tried to move away. I held tightly onto his neck, my fingers wounding themselves in his hair.

"Bella," he chuckled, the motion vibrating against me, "We have to stop."

"Why?"

Edward pulled away and looked around us, his eyebrow raising as he met my gaze again. I sighed despondently as I settled back in my stool.

"We should have just stayed in," I muttered under my breath.

Edward chuckled beside me and leaned down, his lips dangerously close to my ear. "Don't be like that, baby."

I would still shiver whenever he would call me baby, the endearment making me feel exceptionally cherished. I smiled in spite of myself. It was pointless to act as if I was put out when Edward stopped our kiss from progressing, because, evidently, just a word from him could crumble my resolve.

"Alright," I agreed with a faux pout.

"Come on, let's dance," Edward said, standing from his seat. He quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me up.

I cringed a little as we were swallowed in the crowd, sweaty bodies pressing up against us as we moved towards the dance floor. Edward kept a steady hold on my hand as we walked, occasionally looking over his shoulder to check on me. I smiled reassuringly at him despite the bit of discomfort I was feeling. Finally, we reached the other edge of the dance floor, the darker, less crowded part. Edward pulled me into his arms as I wrapped my arms around his neck. We swayed to the music for a while, my head resting on his chest as I let him lead the dance.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" Edward whispered in my ear.

I looked up at him and smiled bashfully, my cheeks blushing from the intensity of his gaze. "No, I don't think you have."

"Well, let me resolve that," he smirked, placing his hands on my hips to steady me. "You look ravishing tonight, Bella."

My blush deepened as I hid my face in his chest, my lips quirking up into a wide grin. "You too… I mean, you look very handsome tonight, Edward."

"Really?" he said in between chuckles. I hugged myself closer to him as his laughter reverberated in his chest.

"Yes, really," I mumbled, placing a kiss on where I thought his heart might be under his shirt. "I love you."

Edward smiled, showcasing his perfect teeth as he looked down at me. "I love you too, Bella. _So_ much."

I tugged on his neck to bring him closer to me, my lips immediately descending on his as soon as he was within reach. I let myself get lost in Edward's kiss, on this promise of something more. We continued dancing closely through the night, our lips brushing against each other almost minutely that we were probably bordering on indecent. But it doesn't matter what people think, not to me anyway. Edward and I were finally free to act on our desires and I won't let anything hinder us from doing so.

Half an hour before the clock strikes 12, I have barely seen glimpses of Alice and Jasper through the thick crowd. It didn't help that I refused to leave Edward's side all night, but it wasn't an option that I was willing to take. I figured that I'd probably see more of Alice in the coming year anyway. And it's not like she would pay attention to me when she has Jasper by her side all night long.

Edward and I walked out to the museum's courtyard hand in hand, leaving the party area and the noise behind us. Nearing the water display, Edward pulled me tight against his side, his arms wrapping around me as I burrowed myself to his chest. The air was chilly, and there were only a few people milling around us. A server approached us, offering a tray filled with glass full of champagne. Edward gracefully grabbed two, handing one to me, and thanked the server. He led me closer to the arches, pulling me in front of him just as more people walked outside.

We stood in the courtyard, locked in a tight embrace, as we waited for the minutes to tick by. Soon, almost everyone inside has come out to ring in the New Year. I was just about to reach for my phone when someone nudged my side. I turned to see Alice and Jasper standing beside us, their entwined hands swinging between them.

"Hey, guys," Jasper smiled, nodding at us.

"I can't believe the year's about to come to an end!" Alice gushed as she practically jumped in her spot. "It's been a good year, isn't it?"

Turning to Edward automatically, I looked up at him to find that he was already watching me with a gentle smile on his face. "Oh, it has definitely been a _great_ year."

 _The best_ , Edward mouthed.

I turned in his arms and faced him fully, my hands grasping his between us. I let Alice, Jasper, and the other people blur into the background as I focused on the sparks burning behind Edward's gaze. Alice was right, this has been a very great year. A lot of ups and down, but it was all definitely worth it. Especially when I found something that I've always thought I couldn't and wouldn't ever have.

Edward came back to my life just when I thought that I have lost any chance I could have with him. The first time that I met him, he was my professor, someone unattainable and I've resigned to myself that it would never go beyond that with us. When he left, I thought I would never see or hear from him again. I spent the rest of my college years trying to get over the crush that never was, trying to fill the void he'd left in my life. I didn't know him very well back then, but it still hurt when he left without saying a word to me. But then he came back and it was truly a dream come true.

Standing here, holding his hand, I have nothing more to ask for.

"I love you," I told him wholeheartedly.

 _Ten…_

"I love you too, Bella," he grinned, his free hand slowly stroking my cheek.

 _Nine…_

We smiled widely at each other like fools, fools who were deeply, crazily in love with each other.

 _Eight…_

I leaned closer to his touch, my feet moving until our chests were pressed together.

 _Seven…_

The crowd cheered loudly as the music stopped, the blaring of horns reverberating all throughout the courtyard.

 _Six…_

Edward grasped my face between his palms, his gaze searching mine.

 _Five…_

"The best is yet to come, baby," Edward whispered, his eyes shining.

 _Four…_

The love in his eyes was overpouring and I'm determined to give him my all.

 _Three…_

Our lips were hovering against each other as we waited for the fireworks to start.

 _Two…_

I have no more doubts.

 _One…_

We both moved forward, our lips meeting in a kiss unlike anything we've shared. It was passion, it was attraction, it was love. The complicated past of our relationship didn't matter anymore because this, right here, was just our beginning.

 _ **the end**_

 _ **AN:**_

 _ **Thank you all so much for reading this story!**_

 _ **I hope you're all as happy as I am with the way Edward and Bella's relationship has progressed. It wasn't an easy journey, but I'm glad that you stuck with me until the end.**_

 _ **Until next time!**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**2017**_

The thin sheen of sweat on Edward's body plays well with the dim lighting in the darkened room, highlighting the shadows and angles of his sculpted torso. I held on tightly to his shoulders as his body moved above mine. I let the sensations wash over me as I briefly closed my eyes, my heart thumping in time with the rhythm of Edward's body in mine. Otherworldly pleasure was coursing through my body, limiting me to only emit moans and gasps of my gratification.

"Are you alright?" Edward rasped against my ear, his hips stopping its movements against mine.

I nudged my hips to tell him that I want him to continue moving, but he remained still above me. "Yes. _Oh God_ , more, Edward."

He smirked at me before practically driving his pelvis towards mine, _so_ deep that my breath was snatched out of my lungs. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled my torso up, pressing our naked chests together. I panted against his ear as my peaked, tight buds rubbed against the coarse hair on his chest, increasing the pleasure that was rushing through my body. My legs wrapped around his hips to bring him deeper inside me, his groans sounding loudly in my ears as he filled me to the hilt.

" _Oh, God._ "

"Yes," I moaned, my eyes clenching shut as the sensation overwhelmed me.

"You feel so good, baby," he groaned, his face screwing up in pleasure.

"Oh," I gasped, my fingers gripping the hairs on his nape as I felt myself reaching the precipice of my climax. "Oh!"

Intense pleasure exploded behind my eyelids, my mouth opened in a silent scream. My arms were still wrapped around Edward, our chests still pressed together. My heart was wildly beating in my chest, matching Edward's. I felt him still moving above me so I tried to languidly rock my hips, hoping to bring him the same pleasure he had just given me. Edward continued moving above me, his hips thrusting deeply and steadily. My whole body was shaking from the aftershocks of my orgasm, tremors running down my legs as I held onto Edward.

His breath was starting to come out in short pants against my ear and I redoubled my efforts, my hips meeting his thrusts to bring him to his own orgasm. He rammed himself deeply one last time, his arms falling beside me as his body crashed on top of me. His shallow breaths were the only sound in the room, his arms lying limply at my sides as he nuzzled my neck. I raised a hand to rub down at his back, my fingers drawing lazy circles on his skin as I waited for him to regain his breathing. After a while, Edward pulled himself up, his arms encircling me as he rolled us to our sides. I tucked myself against his chest, my arm moving to wrap around his waist.

I felt Edward kissing the top of my head, and no matter how many times he's done this, a smile still blossomed on my face at the sweet gesture.

"I love you," he said as he pulled me tighter.

"I love you, too."

I placed a kiss against his chest, right where his heart was, and closed my eyes. Snuggling closer, I repositioned myself until I was comfortable. That night, and for every other night that followed, I fell asleep in the arms of the love of my life.

If I thought before that waking up in Edward's arms was the best feeling in the world, I was sorely wrong. It was waking up in Edward's arms gloriously _naked_. Our bodies were pressed closely together, arms and legs entwined in a tight embrace to fight the chill in the air. The moment I opened my eyes and saw him sleeping peacefully beside me, this huge grin spread across my lips. Gently, I brushed my fingers across his cheek, feeling the sweep of his long eyelashes against his skin. Edward didn't stir, although he did release a deep sigh as his arms brought me closer to him. I watched Edward sleep for a while, still feeling a bit of disbelief that this beautiful man was all mine.

The past year has been very good to us and I'm already looking forward for more. Edward and I may have not agreed on some things and that we still have some more to talk about but it wasn't anything that could cause a rift between us. We're still learning to just be Edward and Bella, and it may take some time before we would be able to finally be free from the professor and student relationship spectrum, but I figured that it wouldn't matter how long it might take us to figure it all out as long as we're together. The familiarity and attraction between us when we were held inside the four walls of a classroom would always be there, but there's also something more. We're in love, simple as that. How we started didn't matter, at least to us, anyway.

As if he heard my thoughts, Edward slowly opened his eyes and grinned crookedly at me. "Good morning, love."

"Good morning," I said, leaning closer to press a closed-mouthed kiss against his lips.

Edward hummed as his arm wrapped around my waist, the skin-to-skin contact spreading the warmth under my skin. I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes, matching my breathing with the even beats of his heart. I could spend the rest of my life here, just lying in Edward's arms. Soon, I find myself being lulled to sleep. I let the colors dance behind my eyelids as my consciousness leaves me. My dreams were in the form of unintelligible shapes with swirls of bronze and vibrant greens, the kind of green that was the exact shade of Edward's eyes.

When I woke up again, I was alone in bed. My arm reached out to Edward's side to find that the sheets were already cold. I sat up against the headboard and pulled the sheets to my naked chest, my eyes squinting against the sunlight streaming from the windows. I looked around the room to see that our clothes from the previous night were strewn all over the floor. Slowly, I moved to the side of the bed to pick up Edward's discarded shirt. Pulling it over my head, I picked up our clothes and placed them on the lone chair at the corner of the room.

My feet padded against the floorboards as I followed the scent of coffee in the air. Upon entering the kitchen, the first thing that caught my eye was Edward standing with his back turned to me. I quietly made my way over to him, smiling as I sneaked up on him. From where I was standing, I could see that he was beating eggs into a large bowl while a separate bowl of flour and milk sat on the other side of the counter. I watched as he mixed the eggs with the flour, the straining muscles on his forearms eliciting a soft moan from me.

I walked closer to see Edward's mouth lifted into a smirk, his eyes drifting to the corners to peek at me. I closed the small distance between us and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Hi," I mumbled against his back.

He twisted around slightly to look at my face, his smirk still firmly in place. "Hi yourself."

"You should have woken me to start on our breakfast," I told him, pinching his side lightly.

"It's fine," he said, "Besides, you looked so peaceful that I didn't want to disturb you."

I placed a kiss on his back before wedging my head under his arm to peek at the bowl in front of him. I swiped a finger across the pancake mix and brought it to my mouth, the burst of slight sweetness assaulting my taste buds.

"Hey!"

"What?" I giggled, licking at my finger.

Edward narrowed his eyes at me and pulled at my hand, the popping sound of my finger retreating from my mouth was the only sound in the kitchen. Edward turned to fully face me and placed both of his hands on my waist. We stared at each other with huge smiles on our faces. Edward started to lean closer to my face so I closed my eyes, waiting for the kiss that he'll give me. Instead of a kiss, I felt a wet sensation being smeared on my nose. My eyes widened and I shrieked in surprise.

"What the hell?" I asked, dabbing a finger to my nose.

The bastard guffawed loudly at his antics, his arms sliding from my waist to clutch his stomach.

"That wasn't funny," I grumbled, eyeing him.

"Oh, trust me, it was," he breathed out between chuckles.

I eyed the batter and stepped closer to the counter, hiding the bowl from his view. Edward quirked an eyebrow at me as I moved away, his eyes following my hand as I slid it up my thigh. With his eyes intently focused on my right hand, I moved the other behind me and trailed it towards the bowl. Edward licked his lips as my right hand disappeared under my shirt, the fabric bunching up around my wrist as my fingers danced along the skin on my hip. My other hand was finally in the bowl and I dipped my fingers in the pancake mix, smiling sultrily at Edward as I watched his green eyes darken.

I took a couple more steps away and Edward followed as expected. I hid the grin on my lips by looking down at my body, seeing how the way my shirt rode up should have left very little to the imagination. Before I could move, Edward's feet suddenly came into view and I didn't have enough time to react before he was hoisting me up on the counter behind me. I squealed as the cold marble hit the skin of my naked thighs, my legs wrapping around his waist on instinct. My hands unconsciously moved to his hair, unintentionally smearing it with the pancake mix.

"Oops," I mumbled as I withdrew my hands.

"What— "A hand reached out to touch his hair and as soon as the tip of his fingers touched the pancake mix, his eyes flew to mine. "What the fuck?"

"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, my fingers gripping his wrist. "I didn't mean to put it in your hair."

Edward frowned at me as he tried to get the batter out of his hair. I tried to help him the best I could but he batted my hands away.

"I just wanted to smear it on your nose like you did to me," I mumbled, looking down to my lap. "I'm sorry that I got batter on your hair."

"Hey," he said softly, lifting my face with a finger on my chin. "It's okay. I'm not mad at you or anything."

"Really? I mean, I got pancake mix on your hair and it could be hard to remove or-"

"It's just hair, Bella," he said, chuckling a little.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Edward told me as he moved closer between my legs.

I gulped audibly as he pressed his hips against my center, my naked skin meeting the cotton of his pants. Edward trailed his nose on my neck before placing a wet kiss on my pulse point. I gasped as I felt his tongue on my skin, my hands reaching up to grasp his hair. I tilted my head to give him more access, my torso leaning back against the counter. Clenching my eyes shut, I felt his fingers dancing up on my thigh towards the skin beneath my shirt. I tried to open my legs wider but his hands clamped down on them, holding them in place.

I pulled back from him and looked at him with a questioning gaze.

Instead of answering, Edward simply reached behind me and grabbed the bowl, placing it on the other side of the counter. I watched him move as he repositioned me on the surface, directing me to scoot back on the counter while my legs dangled on the edge. Edward stepped between my legs again and gathered me in his arms. Our lips met in a passionate kiss as I let my hands wander down his back. I grasped the hem of his shirt and urged him to pull it over his head. Edward didn't waste time in disposing mine, throwing it over his shoulder as soon as it came over my head.

With our naked chests pressed tightly together, the stiff peaks of my nipple brushed against the soft hair on Edward's torso, drawing out a low moan from my throat. I scrambled to fuse my mouth to his again, our tongues both fighting for dominance. My legs were still tightly wrapped around Edward's hips, the only thing separating the hardness in his pants from my flesh was the thin cotton of his pajama. My hips grinded to the rhythm of our mouths; seeking, domineering. I let the warmth of his kiss engulf my whole body.

Edward was gripping my hips tightly in his hands, his fingers no doubt leaving marks on my skin. I don't mind, in fact, I look forward to seeing the bruises in the shape of his fingers come morning. I hoisted my feet to the band of his pants, tugging at the fabric until the fabric inched down on his hips. Edward removed one hand from my hip and helped me in pulling down his pants, his hard-on tapping on my center. I moaned at the contact and brought both of my hands to his erection, my fingers squeezing him tightly. Edward leaned his head on my shoulder and groaned, his warm breath hitting my breasts as his eyes screwed shut in pleasure.

I continued with my ministrations, my fingers gliding over the length of him. I swiped my thumb at the head, smearing the drop of liquid there. From my periphery, I could see the bulge of muscles on his forearms as he gripped my hips firmly. Squeezing his rigid length, I started to stroke him when Edward suddenly pried my hands from his erection. He held my hands in my lap, his breathing coming out in short pants.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my brows furrowing in confusion.

"You first," he mumbled before leaning forward to trail kisses on my face.

I felt his hands dancing on my skin, his fingers barely touching me as he reached the apex of my thighs. My breathing grew ragged as he closed in on his destination, my fingers gripping the counter's edges, my knuckles almost white from the exertion. His thumb brushed against the clit, almost sending me to my orgasm. He smirked at me as his fingers proceeded to explore my wet folds. I moaned and whined as Edward rubbed and fondled me between my legs, my hands grasping tightly at his arms as I teetered on the edge.

Gently, Edward pushed a finger inside me. I could feel my muscles clenching him tightly, my harsh breathing loudly reverberating across the kitchen. He added a second finger before pumping them thoroughly, the wetness seeping out of me helping his strokes. Lowering his head, Edward pulled a pert nipple in his mouth and softly bit on it. I moaned loudly at the sensation and let my head fall back as I let the pleasure take over. Edward tortured me with his fingers as I writhed on the counter, my body slick with a thin sheen of sweat.

"Oh!"

"Does it feel good, baby?" Edward rasped, his eyes intently focused on his fingers inside me.

"Yes!" I moaned loudly. "Oh, God!"

"Do you want more?"

"Please," I pleaded, my eyes clenching shut as I felt the rush of warmth spreading through my body. "More, please, please. More, Edward."

His thumb moved to my engorged nub and rubbed it in circles, making me cry out as the pleasure spiraled out of me. My moans of pleasure were the only sound in the kitchen as spots of color danced behind my eyelids. My whole body was shaking as aftershocks of my orgasm rippled through my body. I opened my eyes to see Edward standing above me, his eyes dark with lust. I pulled him towards me and kissed him deeply.

I could feel his desire as he pressed his hips between my legs, his rigid member leaking. I repositioned myself on the counter and opened my legs wider to give Edward more access. Without any more prompting, Edward pushed his member inside me to the hilt. My breath stuttered in my throat at the fullness, my muscles contracting around him as we stopped to stare at each other. Edward pushed my hair out of my face, his fingers caressing my face.

"I love you," he whispered.

I smiled up at him and pulled him closer to press a kiss on his lips. "I love you, too."

Edward hitched my legs around his waist before rearing back, his length almost pulling out of me completely before he pushed forward again. I tightened my grip on him as he continued to thrust his hips, his movements hard and deep. I panted in time with every plunge, my arms snaking around him to wrap around his neck. The pleasure was insane and I could feel the heavy amount of moisture seeping out of me. His thrusts never faltered and I could feel that his orgasm was approaching with the way his back muscles stiffened under my fingers. Edward suddenly changed his angle, his member hitting me deeply and his pubic bone brushing against my clit with every thrust. Without any preamble, my climax washed over me, leaving me a breathless, moaning mess as Edward chased his.

"God, Bella," he groaned lowly as he pushed inside me erratically. His hips were relentless as he danced on the precipice of his ecstasy. With three more thrusts, Edward froze above me as he released inside me.

I brushed my fingers down his back as his orgasm washed over him, his uneven breathing in time with the turbulent beating of my heart.

We lay still for a while, just catching our breaths above the counter. After a few more minutes, Edward placed a kiss on my lips before pulling away. He tugged on my arm to pull me into a seating position. I smiled goofily at him and he laughed, his body shaking with the action.

"What's so funny?" I asked him while trying to hide my own smile.

"You have a very charming post-coital smile, baby," he teased.

I ducked my head to hide my blush from his gaze and he laughed louder. "Shut up."

"I'm sorry, baby," he stepped closer, nuzzling my hair. "You just looked so cute."

I wrapped my arms around his torso and hitched my legs around his waist. With me clinging tightly to him, Edward walked us back to the bathroom to shower.

Edward and I rarely spent the night separately at our own apartments in the twelve months or so that we've been dating. I don't think that it was a conscious decision on either part, but I think I can count on one hand the times I've slept in my place for the last three months. We haven't really talked about moving in together, but with the amount of my clothes hanging beside his inside his closet, one would think that I've already been living with him for some time.

Placing the laundry basket beside me, I dumped its contents on the bed. I started to sift through Edward's undershirts, folding them in a neat pile. I let my mind drift away from me as I finished folding our clothes, my hands working on autopilot.

Edward and I have had a good year, professionally and personally. He was able to go back to teaching once everything has been settled and has been offered a permanent position in U-Dub's College of Engineering. I've also been doing well at work, having been recently promoted to Network Engineer. All these changes have shifted our relationship, and although our schedules have been hectic lately, we still find time to just be Edward and Bella. Our relationship has also been at an all-time high the past year. Not to say that we didn't have any issues, but we were able to talk it all out before it became something big. We both sat down and talked about the things that have been plaguing me since the beginning and we've also addressed Edward's concerns. Basically, we both lay it all down on the table and picked at all the details. We've finally come to the understanding that we want the same things, and if things somehow don't work out, we would try our hardest to fix it before giving up.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice the sound of keys jingling at the front door, nor did I hear the sound of footsteps walking towards the bedroom. Strong arms wrapped around me from behind and I jumped in surprise, the clothes on my lap flying everywhere. Clasping a hand to my chest, I turned to see Edward stifling a laugh behind me.

"Hello," he murmured, placing a kiss on my shoulder.

"Edward, what the hell?!"

"Well, you looked to be so deep in thought I didn't want to disturb you," he said, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

"So, you decided to give me a heart attack instead?" I asked incredulously. My heart was still beating wildly in my chest, but now for different reasons. Edward has just come in from work and he looks _so_ good.

"Of course not, baby," he quipped, kissing my cheek.

I leaned back against him as my heartbeat evened out, my hands splaying on his thighs as I relaxed fully onto him. Edward rested his chin on my shoulder as his arms around my waist tightened, bringing me closer to his chest. The warmth of his body was a welcome distraction for my thoughts.

"How was work?" I asked him after a few beats of silence.

"Same as always," he murmured, nuzzling my hair. "Although there's this kid that just gets on my nerves every damn time."

"Oh no," I mock-gasped, turning to look at him from the corner of my eye.

"It just annoys me that he acts like a know-it-all," he grumbled, the vibrations running down my neck.

"You'll be fine," I said. "The term's going to be over in four weeks anyway."

"God, four more weeks of that Newton kid," he whined.

"Poor baby," I laughed, patting his cheek.

Edward playfully bit my neck and when I tried to pull away, he grabbed my left hand and held me firmly in his arms. He began playing with my fingers, specifically, my _bare_ ring finger. His fingertips softly rubbed the spot where a ring should be, my heart stuttering in my chest as I watched him quietly. I know that it's too soon for _that_ , but I can't help my heart. Not when I know that Edward was _it_ for me.

"What are you thinking of, baby?" Edward quietly asked in my ear. His breath washing over the side of my face caused goosebumps to rise on my skin.

"What?" my brain has turned to mush in the few seconds that Edward focused on my ring finger. I turned to face him, my legs wrapping around his hips. The arm that was wrapped around my waist moved to my back while his hand still held my mine firmly in his.

"Because I'm thinking," Edward leaned forward, his lips brushing across my jaw, "That you should move in with me."

I pulled away to look at him closely, my eyes searching for the usual teasing on his face. I found none.

"You're serious?"

"Yes," he firmly told me.

I nodded at him, my eyes moving to his hand, which was still playing with my finger.

"I want to wake up next to you every morning and fall asleep with you in my arms," Edward said, a smile playing on the corners of his mouth. "I want to come home to you every day, and have you come home to me. Bella, will you move in with me?"

"Yes," I grinned, my hand cupping his cheek as I pressed a kiss to his lips. "Of course, I'll move in with you."

Edward kissed me with such passion that it was a miracle I didn't burst out in flames right in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself to his lap. Our mouths moved languidly against each other until the need for air overrode our desire. Edward moved his lips to my neck while I panted in his ear.

"And someday soon," he whispered, his fingers caressing my ring finger. "We'll have that for the rest of our lives."

 _ **AN: That's that, folks.**_

 _ **Until next time, thank you for reading!**_


End file.
